Ticks! Where did they come from and what is their purpose, anyway?
A black-legged tick, or deer tick
“Eleven of them merrily marched along toward various destinations, each in search of a warm meal. Four of them found what they were looking for and I quickly took their lives. The remaining seven were promptly deployed, along with their ravenous appetites, to seek out meals elsewhere.
TICKS!! Where did they come from and how did I end up with them, and what’s their purpose anyway?”
TICKS… technically they’re spiders, which is bad because I love spiders! It has been a great year for their visitation, freefalling from trees, grabbing hold from shrubs, tall grasses or whatever else they could climb and lie in wait for a passing ride. They love shady, brushy places, and need plenty humidity. Dog tick, groundhog tick, deer tick…I think there must be one for every warm-blooded creature.
The mention of a tick gives one the heebee-geebees, yet I’ve only known a few people who got sick after being bitten. That they carry disease is true; we’ve all heard of Lyme, Rocky Mtn. Spotted Fever, and about 8 more; and the fact that they can dispense more than one disease-causing agent makes them even more intimidating. However, just because you’re bitten doesn’t mean you’re sick. MOST ticks don’t carry disease and MOST people aren’t affected other than a little itch at the site. Ticks aren’t born with disease; they get it with their first few feedings, usually from mice.
Remember, not all ticks live in our area, so becoming familiar with the appearance of regional ID of ticks is important.
A tick has no perceived value, but did you know ticks have a good side? They’re: vital food for amphibians, birds, and reptiles; eco-indicators on several species’ populations; keep several, more disease-bearing, populations in control; host numerous microscopic lifeforms, are essential to earth balance…and this is so important. 2 common animals that love ticks are possums and guineas.
A homemade repellent: garlic, neem-leaf extract, citrus, simmered together and strained, then put into a spray bottle. I’m sure you can come up with your own version. For the yard you can shave 1-inch of FelsNaptha soap, lye soap, or any hard laundry soap, into a quart of water; mix until dissolved. Put 2 tsp into a gallon sprayer and treat plants/yard. There are many natural versions of spray. There are commercial/synthetic repellents for body and yard but they don’t get my recommendation because of all the negative things they do. Use your own judgement.
If you do get bitten and it begins to turn red, itch, etc., please see a doctor.
Ticks are no different than the owl that preys on rodents, the turkey that eats snakes, the responsible hunter taking down a deer or turkey for food, or any other higher/lower organism symbiosis. Without population control things would be impossible on this planet.
WE MUST REMEMBER, ALL LIVING THINGS HAVE A ROLE TO PLAY IN THE SURVIVAL OF ALL OF US.
We may not know what the role is, but it’s there just the same. A little reading/studying will help explain these roles if we’ll take the time. To destroy all things we don’t understand or are fearful of, is to wipe ourselves out…because everything – EVERYTHING - is connected.
The Tennessee Dirtgirl
