A walk through the thick grass or a tour through the woods may unintentionally draw some unwelcome tick stowaways. These bothersome parasitic insects attach to a host and consume blood to stay alive. Ticks can be serious health risks to their unwilling hosts because they are known to carry Lyme disease.

But do all ticks carry Lyme disease? And if not, what percentage of ticks carry Lyme disease?  Let the insect experts at 24/7 Local Pest Control answer all you want to know about ticks and Lyme disease.

It is often confused that ticks are the originators of Lyme disease when in fact they are just carriers of the disease. The disease itself is caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi, and following the bite of an infected tick, this bacterium disseminates into the skin surrounding the bite. If left unnoticed or untreated, the bacterium can infect the blood stream and infect the body further from there. Fortunately, not all species of ticks are vectors for Lyme disease.

Only two species of ticks serve as vectors for Lyme disease. Both belonging to the genus Ixodes, the blacklegged tick (usually referred to as the deer tick) and the Western blacklegged tick (found west of the Rockies) are transmitters of Lyme disease. Adults of both species are approximately the size of a sesame seed and have reddish-black bodies.

Your probability of contracting the disease also depends on the length of feeding. Approximately 24 hours of feeding is required for Lyme disease to transmit, making it important to check for ticks daily and remove any found as soon as possible.

While not all ticks are carriers of Lyme disease, they can be vectors of other diseases such as Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Mitigate your exposure to ticks by using bug repellent containing DEET, wearing tall socks and pants when outside, and thoroughly checking yourself and pets for unwanted hitchhikers after time outdoors.

For those looking to keep ticks out of your backyard space for good, a pest prevention plan is your best bet. Call 24/7 Local Pest Control today at(833) 220-1001 or request a quote online to protect your backyard space and give both ticks and Lyme disease the boot!