“Strip your clothes off outside,” she said. “You don’t want to bring ticks into your house where they can latch onto you later. Shake out your clothes, wash them, and do a full-body check.” Ticks often hide and attach in the smallest, hard-to-see areas on the body. Be sure to check behind and inside the ears, in the hair and scalp, along the waistline, in the bellybutton, behind the knees, and even under fingernails and toenails. After you’ve completed the full-body check, Thierbach said the next step is to “hop in the shower.” According to the CDC, “ showering within two hours of coming indoors has been shown to reduce your risk of getting Lyme disease and may be effective in reducing the risk of oth- er tickborne diseases .” Additionally, showering could be effective at wash- ing away any crawling, unattached ticks you might have missed. During the full-body check, if you no- tice an attached tick, remove it prompt- ly, ( check out this useful tick key ) and keep it. Store the tick in a well-sealed Ziploc bag and bring it with you to any doctor visits. Should medical profes- sionals suspect disease transmission, the tick can be tested for confirmation. Spider Bites All spider bites are unwanted and pain- ful, but there are a few species that ar- borists need to be especially aware of. Many venomous spiders like to hide in dark, dry places like woodpiles and tend to nest low to the ground, making them a common hazard in the field. Paired with some impressive camou- flage on their exoskeleton, they have a knack for going unnoticed before it’s too late. “They can be in your boots, in your truck, and you won’t even realize it,” Thierbach said.
Brown recluse bites can often go unnoticed until localized symptoms appear. Be sure to wear proper PPE to prevent a bite from these venomous spiders if you work in the South Central and Midwestern parts of the United States.
hours later.
Brown Recluse Hiding among the jobsite, arborists may come into contact with two hazard- ous spider species — the brown recluse and the black widow. Both are highly venomous and capable of delivering a serious bite. The brown recluse spider ( Loxosceles reclusa ) is identified by its eight long legs and the violin-shaped marking on its head. These spiders aren’t general- ly aggressive but will bite when they feel threatened. Its venom is so toxic, it causes necrosis which can lead to skin ulcers if left untreated. This spider subspecies is most active from April to October, with peak ac- tivity occurring in warmer spring and summer months. During this time, the brown recluse is highly active at night, hunting for food and mating. When winter rolls around, they hibernate or become dormant. The brown recluse spider is most com- monly found in the South Central and Midwestern parts of the United States, including Nebraska, Ohio, and Texas. Symptoms of a Brown Recluse Spider Bite Initially, most brown recluse bites are painless with symptoms developing
In about three to eight hours, a bite vic- tim may experience the following: •Mild redness and pain at the bite site •Blistering •A bull’s-eye pattern around the bite site •An open ulcer that typically results in necrosis •Fever and chills
•Gastrointestinal issues •Muscle and joint pain
A brown recluse’s venom can damage blood vessels, nerves, and surrounding tissue, sometimes leading to the death of skin tissue — a condition known as necrosis.
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