Ticks- Myths and Facts

Maine is host to more than a dozen different species of ticks, some more common than others. The three most common ticks found in our state are the Deer (or Blacklegged) Tick, The Dog Tick (also known as the Wood Tick or American Dog Tick), and the Woodchuck Tick. Here are some common myths about ticks:

MYTH- "Ticks can fly and land on you or jump on you."
FACT- Ticks don't fly and they can't jump, not even a little bit.

MYTH- "Ticks are only a threat during the spring and summer months."
FACT- Ticks are active whenever the temperature is above freezing, even in January!

MYTH- "As soon as I feel a tick bite me, I can just remove it."
FACT- Unlike mosquitoes and black flies, you will not feel a tick bite. Why? Because they secrete a numbing agent to prevent its host from detecting the bite. This is why performing regular tick checks after being outside is crucial.

MYTH- "Deer ticks get infected with Lyme from deer."
FACT- Studies have shown that deer do not carry or transmit Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacterium that causes Lyme Disease. Although deer play a crucial role in the life cycle of a tick in terms of feeding, ticks become infected with the bacterium primarily through small rodents; mostly mice.

MYTH- "If a tick bites you, you will get a disease."
FACT- First, not all ticks are infected with a disease. A 2022 University of Maine Cooperative Extension study revealed that approximately 50% of ticks tested throughout the state had at least one disease pathogen. Second, even if an infected tick bites you, the general (although often debated) consensus in the scientific community is that it can take anywhere from 24-48 hours for an embedded tick to release that bacterium to you.

MYTH- "Ticks drop down from trees on people."
FACT- Although ticks climbing to moderate heights is not uncommon, they do not hang out on tree branches waiting to drop on you as you pass below. This is why legitimate tick-control applications are done on the ground, not in the trees.

MYTH- "The best way to remove an embedded tick is to...
...burn it off
OR
...put Vaseline on it
OR
...paint it with nail polish
OR
FACT- There's no shortage of "old wives tales" out there on how to remove a tick. Do not burn it off with a match; do not paint it with nail polish; do not cover it with Vaseline. Here is the best, safest method:

With a pair of tweezers or tick removal tool, gently grasp the tick as close to the person's skin as possible. Do not squeeze the tick too hard, as this may cause infected pathogens to enter the person. Without twisting or jerking the tick, slowly pull the tick up with a steady, continuous motion. (If the mouthparts remain in the skin, leave them alone- your body will expel them over time.) After the tick is removed, sanitize the wound area. It's advisable to save the tick in a container in case you want to have it tested at a later time.


More tick facts:

The most common tick in Maine, the Dog Tick, does not carry Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacterium that causes Lyme Disease. Dog ticks are primarily associated with Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, which can be severe or even fatal if gone untreated during the first few days of symptoms. However, the Maine Center for Disease Control & Prevention states that Maine Dog Ticks currently don't carry this disease, although that may change.

The Deer Tick (or Blacklegged Tick), is a known vector for several serious diseases including Lyme disease, Powassan virus, babesiosis, and anaplasmosis. All stages of the Deer Tick will feed on humans and pets.

Ticks get on their hosts by a method known as questing, where they position themselves on the tips of grass or other plant growth and wait for a potential "host" to pass by. They have a very sophisticated detection system- when a host is nearby, they can smell it, sense its heat and moisture, and even pick up on its vibrations as it walks. They generally will feed off smaller animals for their first "blood meal", then move on to larger hosts, including humans, later in their life cycle. Ticks usually have four life stages (egg, larva, nymph, and adult), and they must feed between each stage to survive before "molting" to the next stage. Most ticks have a two-year lifespan, although three years is not uncommon.

Even if a tick that has bitten you tests positive for anything, your doctor will probably hold off on treating you unless and until you have specific symptoms of that disease, which include the well-known bullseye rash.