Ticks: The Scariest Part of Spring Adventures
Anyone who knows me knows I can’t do bugs. I just can’t. Spiders, ladybugs, moths, you name it and worst of all, the T-word.
Ticks.
Somehow my fear of bugs has always coexisted with my love for the outdoors. I remember asking my dad this dreaded question as a kid before backpacking and hiking excursions: “Dad, will there be ticks where we’re going?”
Shaking with trepidation as I awaited his response, “Might be.” And that was it, the panic set in. Just the possibility of encountering one of those creepy little blood-suckers was enough to send me spiraling.
“Just don’t hike in the long grass,” he’d say. Okay—mental note—avoid long grass at all costs. Growing up hiking, backpacking and spending a whole lot of time outdoors, somehow I never once had a tick encounter until one fateful day last summer.
While hiking Heart Mountain near Canmore, Alberta with some friends in early May, I was stopped on a ridge waiting for the rest of the group to catch up. Feeling a tickle on my leg, I looked down and there it was.
I froze. I could see the spider-like features and flat back of that terrifying arachnid making its way up my leg.
After all these years, the time had come and I had met my match. All my fears had led to this very moment. Would I be defeated? Would I make it out alive? No one knew.
Honestly surprised by my courage (what was courage to me at least), I swiped that little bugger off my leg in an instant and I leaned in to examine it on a nearby rock. It wasn’t long until I noticed one in my sister’s hair, and then one on my boyfriend’s backpack. It became apparent we were under attack and it was time to get the heck out of there. I’d heard horror stories of hikers taking a snack pit stop on a nearby log only to stand up covered in an army of tiny black dots. While my encounter was not quite so dramatic, just seeing the tiny arachnids in real life, perched on my leg, was more than enough to confirm all my wildest fears.
I remember the thoughts that crossed my mind in that moment of terror: this is it, my love for the outdoors is gone, why do I do this? I’m never hiking ever again. Panic seemed the only fitting response. That was, in fact, not it. I survived my tick encounter and so can you. Here are a few helpful tips:
Before Your Adventure
Wear bright-coloured hiking pants, making it easier to spot a tick that has found its way onto your leg. Since ticks often appear dark in colour, they will stand out against the background of your colourful clothing. Bring a tick remover tool with you and spray yourself with insect-repellent before venturing into the bush.
Cover your skin when travelling in tick-infested areas. One way to do this is to tuck the end of your hiking pants into your socks (this might look a little nerdy, but there are bigger issues at hand). Fastening duct tape around your pants legs with the sticky side facing out is another method to stop ticks in their tracks.
Check the tick map before you go to see which areas across the country are at high-risk of containing ticks that carry Lyme Disease.
During Your Adventure
Make a point of frequently checking yourself throughout your time in the bush. If you’re adventuring with a friend, check each other regularly throughout your day. Stay on the trails and avoid long grass.
After Your Adventure
Always do a thorough tick check at the end of your time in the bush. Ticks like to go where there is the most body heat so run your fingers along your hairline, check armpits, behind the knees, the groin area and belly button. Ticks can be quite small so look for bumps or dark spots in these areas.
Shower after an adventure to wash off any ticks you might have missed. If you have long hair, give it a thorough brush after a day or more in the forest. Ticks might fall out.
If you do find a tick that has already buried into your skin, use a tick tool or a pair of tweezers to gently pull it out. You want to be careful not to twist or jerk, instead slowly and firmly pull. Avoid burning or squishing the tick while it is buried as this could infect the bite area.
Wash the area with warm water and soap afterwards. It is also a good idea—especially if the tick has been buried for a while—to place the tick inside a plastic bag or container and contact your healthcare provider for more information on sending in the tick to test and determine whether it carries Lyme Disease.
It pains me to say that tick season is now upon us, but we cannot let them defeat us so easily. We must prepare to fight back, hit ’em with the element of surprise, blind them with those brightly coloured pants. While I hate to acknowledge the fact that they are growing in number, there is still hope and that lies in our preparedness.
I refuse to let those little creatures torment me any longer. Don’t let fear stop you either, tuck your neon green pants into your socks, grab that bug spray and take to those trails with confidence.
And let’s just hope they can’t smell fear…
