Specialists warn: Polish forests are full of ticks. Even a short walk can end up with an unpleasant encounter with this arachnid. Ticks can cause diseases that are dangerous to our health, including Lyme disease. It turns out, however, that there are places where there are definitely fewer of them. Where is it safe to walk and which areas to avoid? Experts suggest.
- A tick bite does not hurt, so we often do not even notice that we have fallen victim to it
- Scientists studied Dutch forests inhabited by wild boar and deer. Thanks to this, they came to interesting conclusions
- It turns out that where wild animals rarely appear, there are also far fewer ticks
- Therefore, if we want to avoid encountering these arachnids, we should choose popular paths frequently used by people
- You can find more such stories on the TvoiLokony home page
When going to the forest or to the meadow, it is very easy to become a victim of a tick. These tiny arachnids are almost imperceptible. In addition, when they stick into our skin, it does not cause any pain. Sometimes it is only after a few days that we notice that an uninvited guest has settled in our body.
Ticks are dangerous primarily because they can transmit diseases that are dangerous to our health, including Lyme disease, tick-borne encephalitis or babesiosis. That is why it is so important to protect yourself from them.
It turns out, however, that there are places where ticks attack on a much smaller scale. This was discovered by researchers from the University of Groningen in the Netherlands, the Swedish University of Agriculture in Uppsala and the Mammal Research Institute of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Białowieża. They published their conclusions in the “Science of The Total Environment”.
Where do ticks appear?
Scientists have studied the influence of humans on the activity of wild animals. Their research area was a pine forest in the Dutch Veluwe region, which is inhabited by, among others, wild boars and deer. Experts looked at the activity of the animals. They also looked at whether ticks were present in the area. The results of their research give food for thought.
The first conclusion was not surprising. The researchers only confirmed that where people often walk, it is in vain to look for traces of wild animals. However, the second conclusion was a bit more interesting. It turns out that where wild animals do not roam, there are much fewer ticks – even by 62 percent.
Prof. Dries Kuijper from IBS PAN in Białowieża, one of the authors of the study, emphasized in an interview with PAP that in the areas of deer activity, you can also notice definitely more ticks. What influences it? The specialist explains that an adult female tick often lays eggs in places where wild animals appear. Therefore, if we want to avoid encountering these arachnids, we should go for walks along popular and frequently used by people paths. On the other hand, areas deep in the forest, where walkers do not usually reach, are much more risky – it is easier to catch ticks there.
We should also always remember to protect ourselves against tick attacks. Use, for example, Antikleszcz – a mix of natural essential oils for ETJA ticks.
How to remove a tick?
If we happen to fall victim to a tick, we should remove it from our body as soon as possible. The longer it stays in us, the greater the risk that it will cause us a serious disease. However, we should remember about a few important rules.
First of all, let’s not smear the places where the tick has stuck with anything. There used to be a belief that butter or petroleum jelly would make it easier to get rid of the intruder. Unfortunately, this can make the tick vomit and return the infected contents of its stomach to our body.
To remove the intruder, you should use a special kit that can be purchased at any pharmacy. You can buy a set for removing a tick, which includes tweezers, a set of plasters and a disinfection swab at Medonet Market for PLN 13,99.
If we do not have one at home, we can use tweezers (it is important that it is disinfected). Under no circumstances should you pull the tick out with your bare hands. This can lead to a situation where you tear off only a part of it, and the remaining part of the arachnid remains in your skin. It is also important that you do not twist it. You should do this in an arcuate motion (be sure to grab the tick right next to the skin).
After removing the intruder, observe the bite site. When you get erythema on your body or you feel any other disturbing ailments, contact your doctor. Shipment PCR test for Lyme disease and co-infections (tick test) available HERE.