Mosquitoes & Ticks

The Burlington Board of Health encourages citizens to prevent exposure to ticks and mosquitoes. In the warmer weather ticks and mosquitoes reappear and now is a good time to think about eliminating and minimizing exposure risk. Ticks are commonly found in/on:

• Leaves
• Pets
• Shrubs
• Tall grass
• Vegetation

Mosquitoes can easily breed in standing water from places such as:

• Buckets
• Ditches
• Old tires
• Wading pools
• Wheelbarrows

Tips for Minimizing Exposure Risk

Keeping one's yard groomed and free of standing water will reduce risk by reducing the areas ticks and mosquitoes are found. Mosquitoes are most active from dusk to dawn whereas ticks are active all day long. Attention to clothing and insect repellent can deter these pests from biting. Wearing long sleeves, pants and socks of light colored clothing helps reduce the risk of skin exposure. Staying on trails and limiting outdoor time to before dusk and after dawn will also reduce risk.

Use of an insect repellent with DEET or permethrin, according to labeled instructions, is advised for use against both ticks and mosquitoes. Products containing oil of lemon eucalyptus, picaradin, or IR 3535 will not repel ticks. It is essential after being outdoors to check oneself for ticks.

Tick Prevention

• Tick Identification Card (PDF)
• Tick-borne Disease Prevention
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Prevent Lyme Disease / Spring and Summer Public Service Announcement Podcast
• MA Public Health Fact Sheet - Tick Repellents (PDF)
• Harvard Health Publishing - Recognizing and Avoiding Tick-borne Illness

Ticks are tiny bugs most likely found in brushy, wooded, or high grassy areas. They may even be in your own backyard! Ticks can bite you and spread diseases like Lyme disease. There is no vaccine available to protect against Lyme disease or other diseases spread by ticks. Prevention of tick bites begins with you! So remember, if you live, work, or spend leisure time in an area likely to have ticks:

• Wear a light-colored, long-sleeved shirt with long pants and tuck your pants into your socks
• Repellents that contain DEET can be used on your exposed skin. Permethrin is a product that can be used on your clothes. Always follow the product instructions and use repellents with no more than 30% DEET on adults and 10% DEET on children. Never use insect repellents on infants
• Check yourself, your children and your pets for ticks after coming inside
• If you find a tick attached to your skin, don't panic. Use a pair of fine point tweezers to grip the tick as close to the skin as possible and pull straight out with steady pressure
• Talk to your doctor if you develop a rash where you were bitten or experience symptoms such as fever, headache, fatigue, or sore and aching muscles

Tick Testing

The University of Massachusetts (UMass) Extension, at UMass Amherst, will assess specimens to determine whether they are black legged ticks (deer ticks), and will determine whether or not they carry the bacterium that causes Lyme Disease. Find out more by visiting the Tick Testing website.

Tick Borne Diseases

• Babebosis (PDF)
• Human Granulocytic Anaplasmosis (PDF)
• Lyme Disease (PDF)
• Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (PDF)
• Tularemia (PDF)

To learn more, visit the MA State Tick-borne Diseases page or the American Lyme Disease Foundation website for more information on Lyme Disease.