With warmer weather, tick activity is on the rise in Utah. Spending time outside could bring you in close contact with ticks. Ticks live in grassy, brushy, and wooded areas, or even on animals. Many people get ticks in their own yard or neighborhood. Long-sleeved clothing and certain insect repellants can help keep the ticks away. Light clothing also makes the ticks easier to spot. While Summit County Health does not offer tick identification services, residents can stop by any of our front desks to pick up a FREE tick collection vial and instructions on how to send it to a lab for testing. (Please note: you are responsible for mailing the tick and covering any lab fees.)
Tips to stay tick free when spending time outdoors:
- Wear long sleeves
- Tuck pants into socks
- Use an EPA-registered insect repellent
If you find a tick attached to your skin, remove the tick as soon as possible. There are several tick removal devices on the market, but a plain set of fine-tipped tweezers works very well.
Some quick tips for removing ticks:
- Use clean, fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skin’s surface as possible.
- Grab close to the skin. Pull upward with steady, even pressure.
- Don’t twist or jerk the tick; this can cause the mouth parts to break off and remain in the skin. If this happens, remove the mouth parts with tweezers. If you cannot remove the mouth easily with tweezers, leave it alone and let the skin heal.
