Ticks
The paralysis tick, Ixodes holocyclus, is present in and around some bushland reserves in the Willoughby LGA.
When outdoors in known tick areas:
- Use insect repellent, particularly ones containing DEET (such as Tropical RID®, Tropical Aerogard®, Bushmans®) or Picaridin (OFF!®).
- Consider using insect repellent-treated clothing.
- Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants.
- Tuck pants into long socks.
- Wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Wear light-coloured clothing (which makes it easier to see ticks.)
- Use tick control for pets.
On return from a known tick area:
- Remove clothing and place clothes in a hot dryer for 20 minutes to kill ticks on clothing.
- Check carefully on the neck and scalp and body for ticks.
- Check pets for ticks.
- Prevent the host animals entering your yard by installing animal proof fencing.
- lf there are tick prone areas around the home, install fencing to prevent children from entering those areas.
- Ticks do not like dry conditions so keep overhanging foliage and leaf litter to a minimum and mow lawns regularly.
- Regularly treat pets to prevent them carrying ticks - ask your vet for advice.
Do not scratch or squeeze ticks embedded in skin. This will cause the tick to release harmful materials into the skin.
The NSW Tick Induce Allergies Research & Awareness (TIARA) group are developing best practices for dealing with ticks and urge you not to pull ticks out of skin. Instead kill the tick in situ using an appropriate chemical such as:
- Ether containing spray for adult ticks (ask your local pharmacist).
- Pyrethrum creams for tick larvae or nymphs (ask your local pharmacist)
Seek medical advice if you are at all concerned about a prolonged reaction to a tick bite.
How to safely remove a tick