Yes, blacklegged ticks (deer ticks) often live in shaded and brushy margin areas where pasture meets woods or fence. Tall grass is a good place for ticks to stand with their front legs outstretched until a host brushes past.
Blacklegged ticks, often called deer ticks, are the ones that carry Lyme disease. This means that you will no doubt want to avoid them whenever you can. So it helps to know that they need shade and humidity in order to survive. They will dry out in the hot sun.
Because ticks do poorly in hot, dry environments, open and sun-baked pastures don’t tend to be an issue. Brushy edges and woody areas around pastures are another matter entirely. The same is true where there is tall grass and leaf litter. All of these areas can provide ticks with places to shelter from the hot sun. It also doesn’t help that these are all areas that deer like to travel, and they have a bad habit of shaking off ticks as they pass.
Blacklegged ticks can transmit many tickborne illnesses. Lyme disease is what they’re mainly known for, but they’re also to blame for anaplasmosis and babesiosis. American dog ticks can also transmit Rocky Mountain spotted fever and tularemia. You don’t want any of these.
If you plan to work outside or walk the trails, tuck pants into socks. Consider wearing permethrin-treated clothing and boots if you do this a lot. For added protection, you can always use a repellent with DEET or picaridin. When you go back inside, check yourself for ticks and remove any you find promptly. This can help you greatly reduce your odds of falling ill with a tickborne illness.
If ticks are a problem along your field edges, Mosquito Squad of Northeast Indiana can help. Mosquito Squad treats the tall grass and brushy edges where ticks wait for a host. This will help you protect your family with up to 90% reduction in pest activity on a recurring cycle.
