The North Shore Has Some of the Most Fantastic Beaches But They Don't Take All Your Cares Away

Lyme Disease is endemic to the northeast and the North Shore is certainly not immune. While we expect to come in contact with ticks in wooded areas and grassy areas, we often don’t expect to come in contact with ticks at the beach. We escape to the beach for respite from busy days and hectic lifestyles expecting that it will take all our cares away. Leaving your cell phone in the car will be a big help! But, we still need to be cognizant of ticks at beaches and beach side areas.

Perhaps we associate tick habitats with green foliage or deeply wooded areas. But our beaches and shores are not immune. Any areas with coastal landscaping including high grassy areas, grassy picnic areas beside the beach, other natural landscaping or wooded areas beside the beach or part of the adjoining state park are natural harbors for ticks.

Beside the beach line, you’ll find various grasses that serve the purpose of stabilizing dunes including helping to prevent erosion, protect the inland from flooding and sheltering wildlife. But there’s more than one reason you’re told to keep off the grasses.

Beach grasses including various species such as marram grass, bent grass dunegrass, indian grass, spike grass, black grass, and cordgrass can and do harbor ticks. Ticks are often transported to those locations attached to white-footed mice. Since they are actively seeking their blood meals in order to lay eggs, they will move to the top of grass blades waiting for an unwitting passerby to brush against the grass.

Many of our beaches here on the North Shore are part of our local state parks and therefore abut natural grassy and treed wildlife areas.

Manchester-by-the-Sea is home to beautiful wildflowers and ferns which are great harbors for ticks to wait for a pickup from an unsuspecting host be it human or animal.

Gloucester’s beaches including Wingaersheek, Good Harbor beach, Niles Beach, Half Moon Beach and Ravenswood Park are beautiful beaches but you’ll still need to do a tick check after your visit.

Other North Shore reservations and heritage areas can be great for birdwatching, nature strolls, and even some hiking. But even our lovely local areas like Halibut Point State Park, the Misery Islands, Essex National Heritage Area, Plum Island, Salisbury Beach State Reservation and Sandy Point State Reservation are all places where you’ll want to use your safe tick practices, tick checks and safe tick removal if found.

Whether it’s the beach, a playground, or another unsuspecting area on the North Shore, if it’s outside, you need to worry about ticks and employ safe tick practices. On your property, the best thing to do is use Mosquito Squad. Our effective barrier treatment creates an invisible barrier that eliminates adult ticks and mosquitoes on contact and has a timed-release component that keeps on protecting for 21 days. Our program is designed to be

season long and we re-mist every 21 days throughout the season. Give us a call to sign up for the ultimate mosquito and protection at your property.