West Virginia Expert Offers Tips to Avoid Tick Attacks

A West Virginia University Extension Service expert wants to help residents of the state avoid attacks by ticks this summer.

Entomology specialist Daniel Frank says three things that can help are mowing grass frequently, trimming trees and using insecticide when appropriate.

The university says the most common tick varieties found in West Virginia are lone star tick, blacklegged tick and American dog tick.

Frank said in a news release from the university that one good way to avoid tick-borne diseases is to inspect your body regularly for ticks. If one is found, just remove it and kill it.

Frank says the longer an infected tick is attached to the body, the more likely it becomes that it could transmit a disease-causing pathogen. He says with Lyme disease, for instance, ticks would have to be attached at least 36 to 48 hours.