Deer Tick Warning

(Email from Craig)

Hi Everyone!

I'd like to give everyone a cautionary warning about the large population of deer ticks we have in our neighborhood. Since the Woods was a nursery before construction, many white tailed deer inhabited the area. While the deer have since vacated, their ticks still remain.

Blacklegged ticks feed on blood by inserting their mouth parts into the skin. They are slow feeders and will feed for 3-5 days. If the blacklegged tick is infected, it must be attached for 24-48 hours before it transmits Lyme disease, and at least 24 hours to transmit human anaplasmosis. Some of the other common diseases that can be contracted from a tick bite include: Babesiosis, Ehrlichiosis, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Southern tick-associated rash illness, Tick-borne relapsing fever, and Tularemia.

Keep lawns mowed, brush trimmed, and leaf litter away from the home. Keep trails or paths in wooded areas on your property clear of vegetation.

Of course, the Woods has decided to seed a "prairie" around the ponds in the neighborhood (instead of spending the extra money and planting like the other South Barrington communities) - and because we cannot clear this vegetation, this will continue to be a prime area for these ticks as well as their new hosts: mice, moles, our pets, and our children.

Craig