With a warmer fall than usual upon Humboldt, ticks could still be a problem for nature enthusiasts.

In a September 11th press release from Saskatchewan's Ministry of Health, residents are reminded to be aware of ticks this fall.

Specifically, blacklegged ticks can be the cause of Lyme disease and are rare in Saskatchewan. These ticks are brought in to Saskatchewan by migratory birds in the spring. They eventually mature and stay active in the season of fall.

To prevent a tick from latching on to you:

  • Wear pants, long-sleeved shirts, and shoes that don’t expose your feet.
  • Pull socks over your pant legs to prevent ticks from crawling up your legs.
  • Wear light-coloured clothes so ticks can be seen easily.
  • Shower or bathe as soon as possible after being outside to wash off loose ticks and inspect for attached ticks.
  • Do “full-body” tick checks after being outside on yourself, your children, and your pets.

In the case where you do find a tick on yourself, carefully remove it with fine-tipped tweezers and grasp the mouthparts of the tick as close to the skin as possible. Pull slowly upward and out with firm steady pressure. Be careful not to squeeze, crush, or puncture the body after removal as this may also contain infectious fluids.

Once a tick is removed, you can identify the type of tick with an online image-based tick identification platform known as eTick. The platform was launched in early April with a partnership between the Government of Saskatchewan and the University of Saskatchewan. Once a photo of the tick is sent in, the sender will receive timely information about the type of tick that bit you and your risk of exposure to tick-borne diseases.

In Saskatchewan, 3022 ticks have been submitted between April and July 2020.  Only 11 were black-legged ticks and of the six tested to date, three were positive for the bacterium that causes Lyme disease.