ticks | 88.5 WFDD

11:28am Apr 25, 2022

Health & Safety Health & Safety

Officials remind residents tick and mosquito season is back

by Neal Charnoff

With warm temperatures returning to North Carolina, state officials are reminding residents to watch out for ticks and mosquitos.
Bill Davis / Newsday via Getty Images

7:00am Jul 04, 2021

Health & Safety Health & Safety

Ticks Suck. Here's A Guide To Identifying Them And Avoiding Bites

by Sheila Eldred

With more ticks carrying disease than ever, here's what you need to know about which ticks to watch out for and what to do if you get bitten.
James Gathany / CDC via AP

2:34pm Jun 11, 2021

National National Science

Lyme Disease-Carrying Ticks Are Turning Up On California's Beaches

by Vanessa Romo

The blood-sucking critters are capable of thriving along the West Coast, according to new research, though experts don't exactly know how they're picking up the bacterium that causes the illness.
Graham Hickling, Center for Wildlife Health, University of Tennessee

2:27pm Jun 07, 2019

World News World News Health & Safety

Asia's Longhorned Tick Takes Its First Documented Bite In The U.S.

by Fran Kritz

The parasite carries potentially lethal pathogens in Asia as well as Australia and New Zealand. Now it's in North America. We ask tick specialists to weigh in.
Scott Camazine / Science Source

5:14pm Jul 24, 2018

Health & Safety Health & Safety

Ticks And Lyme Disease: 3 Factors Determine Risk Of Infection

by Paul Chisholm

The chance of catching Lyme disease from an individual tick ranges from zero to roughly 50 percent. Three factors matter: the tick species, where it came from and how long the tick was feeding.
Ascent / PKS Media Inc. via Getty Images

7:42pm Jul 12, 2018

Science Science Health & Safety

Researchers Study Thousands Of Ticks Collected By The People They Bit

by Erin Blakemore

Researchers invited the public to help them study the geographic spread of ticks that carry pathogens that can sicken humans. People were eager to oblige by sending in the pesky bugs that bit them.
Manuel Breva Colmeiro / Getty Images

3:58pm Jul 11, 2018

National National Science Health & Safety

If You Spray Your Clothes With Permethrin, Be Careful Around The Cat

by Jane Greenhalgh

Cat lovers were very concerned about our story on permethrin. How risky is the pesticide for Kitty? By minimizing their pet's exposure, cat owners can use the chemical safely, veterinarians say.
Pearl Mak / NPR

11:23am Jul 09, 2018

National National Science Environment Health & Safety

To Repel Ticks, Try Spraying Your Clothes With A Pesticide That Mimics Mums

by Allison Aubrey

Just in time for summer hikes and outdoor play, a study finds that the ticks that often convey Lyme disease become unable to bite, and soon die, after exposure to clothing treated with permethrin.

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Robert Noonan / Science Source

1:03pm Jun 25, 2018

National National Science Health & Safety

Red Meat Allergies Caused By Tick Bites Are On The Rise

by Allison Aubrey

If you are bitten by a Lone Star tick, you could develop an unusual allergy to red meat. And as this tick's territory spreads beyond the Southeast, the allergy seems to be spreading with it.

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7:27am May 10, 2018

Health & Safety Health & Safety

Triad Sees Rise In Tick Activity And Related Illnesses

by Bethany Chafin

Across the country and here in North Carolina, health officials are seeing an increase in tick activity and tick-borne illnesses.

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Kenneth H Thomas / Science Source/Getty Images

11:06am May 07, 2018

National National Science Health & Safety

Lyme Disease Is On The Rise Again. Here's How To Prevent It

by Allison Aubrey

The tick-borne illness is spreading north and south — about 300,000 U.S. cases a year. As scientists work on better diagnostic tests and surveillance tools, you can take steps to cut your risk.

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Josh Cassidy/KQED

9:07am Mar 20, 2018

Health & Safety Health & Safety

WATCH: How A Tick Digs Its Hooks Into You

by Gabriela Quirós

See how a tick sinks its hooks into a human for a long meal. And find out the best way to remove it.