Tick Control in Lexington

Tick Activity & Disease Concerns in South Carolina

Tick bites and tick-borne diseases can occur throughout the year in South Carolina. Residents commonly encounter lone star, Gulf Coast, American dog, blacklegged, brown dog, and Asian longhorned ticks. Several of these species are frequently reported on people, so regular precautions remain important even when ticks aren’t immediately visible.

These species are associated with illnesses including ehrlichiosis, spotted fever group rickettsioses, anaplasmosis, babesiosis, Lyme disease, tularemia, and Powassan virus. Finding a tick doesn’t establish that disease transmission occurred, but prompt removal and attention to symptoms are important.

The Tick Life Cycle

The tick life cycle progresses through egg, six-legged larva, eight-legged nymph, and adult stages. A tick takes a blood meal before advancing to the next stage. Some stages are difficult to notice, especially small nymphs, so careful checks are useful after time outdoors.

Prompt Tick Removal

Remove an attached tick as soon as possible. Transmission time varies by disease: Lyme disease-causing Borrelia bacteria can transmit after approximately 24 to 72 hours of attachment, while spotted fever group rickettsioses can transmit much faster, in as little as a few hours. Powassan virus can transmit in as little as 15 minutes.

Contact a doctor if fever, rash, headache, or joint or muscle pain develops after a tick bite. A medical professional can evaluate the symptoms, timing of the bite, and other factors relevant to diagnosis and care.

Reducing Tick Exposure

Property treatment is one part of tick management. Personal precautions and pet prevention can reduce exposure between professional services.

Recommended precautions include:

• Use veterinarian-recommended tick prevention for pets.
• Wear long pants tucked into socks and choose light-colored clothing that makes ticks easier to spot.
• Avoid tall vegetation in wooded or brushy areas when possible.
• Stay near the center of maintained trails.
• Perform frequent tick checks on people and pets after outdoor activity.

Pay particular attention after contact with yard vegetation or brush. These habits don’t replace professional tick control, but they can help you find and remove ticks promptly.