By: Mary Duffy
Here in the San Juans, bug bites are second only to sunburn as summer hazards. The most problematic of these insects is the female Rocky Mountain wood tick—Dermacentor andersoni.

Found predominately on sunny slopes in brushy areas dominated by scrub oak, the tick has the nasty habit of boring its mouthparts into its victim to suck its blood. Besides the mental discomfort of discovering this arthropod imbedded in your skin, ticks harbor disease, transmitting Colorado tick fever, Rocky Mountain spotted fever (extremely rare in the Rockies), tularemia, relapsing fever and Lyme disease.

Fortunately, none of the few incidents of the much-feared Lyme disease reported in Colorado have been confirmed indigenous cases; most patients brought their infected ticks with them from out of state. Although one species of tick native to Colorado, Ixodes spinipalpis, does harbor Lyme disease, its preferred host is the wood rat. The deer-tick, which is the common carrier of Lyme disease in the East, and black legged tick, the carrier of the bacteria on the Pacific Coast, do not naturally occur in Colorado. Caution should still be taken, as the other diseases transmitted by ticks, although seldom life-threatening, are debilitating.

To protect yourself when enjoying the outdoors, wear light-colored clothing so that the dark ticks can easily be spotted and tuck pants into boots or socks. Use insect repellent (preferably registered by the Environmental Protection Agency) and reapply frequently. When you get home, check your whole body for ticks-especially along your hairline and the back of your neck, a favorite hangout. Place clothes in a hot dryer for 30 minutes to kill any unwanted hitchhikers.



How to remove an attached tick:

• With tweezers (there are specially designed tweezers for tick removal, but any can do the job), grab the tick as close to the skin as possible. If tweezers are not available, use paper to secure the tick and protect your fingers. Exposure to tick’s body fluids can lead to infection.

• With a steady motion, pull the tick STRAIGHT out. Twisting or jerking may cause mouthparts to be left in the skin.

• Don’t use alcohol, matches, Vaseline or fingernail polish remover to encourage ticks to back out. This can lead to the tick regurgitating everything into you that you wanted to keep out!

• After removing the tick, clean the bite site and wash hands with soap and water.

• If possible, save the tick for a few days (sandwich bag or empty film can). That way if a fever or rash develops, the tick can be tested to see if it carries disease. Seek medical attention if symptoms exacerbate and contact the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, 1-800-866-2759.

Telluride Visitor Guide