Spring is synonymous with wood ticks. Each April in the Rockies, hikers become  reacquainted with one of the areas most friendly parasites. At the start of tick season last year I remember finding one crawling through my hair shortly after an energetic hike. Not thinking too much about it, I just grabbed her and tossed her onto the ground. Suddenly it hit me--I was in my car. It would only be a matter of time before she tracked me down and made a second attempt at a donation. I stopped the car and looked but she had vanished into the carpet somewhere. Around two hours later she emerged. I found her crawling up my leg as I returned from my trip into Calgary.

Ticks are quite prevalent in the Rockies--particularly in areas frequented by sheep (Yamnuska is the perfect example)--so take the time to check for them before you consider your days activity done. Their favourite spots include any warm moist area they can find. These include the hairline, armpits, pubic area and behind tight fitting clothing (bra and underwear straps). I've even had the unenviable experience of removing one from the inside of my belly button. The trick is to catch them before they begin to feed, as they usually crawl around for several hours prior to finding the right spot to sink their jaws into.

Similar in appearance to a small spider, they have a triangular body and eight legs. The females have a white patch behind the head. To feed, they slowly insert their mouthparts into the skin--only their mouthparts. They don't burrow under the skin, even their head remains outside. They slowly draw blood from you until they've had their fill and drop off. To make sure they don't fall off accidentally, they literally cement themselves on with a secreted glue. Females swell to several times their body size while males take only a small amount.

The best defence is a good offence. Ticks don't jump onto you from trees, in fact they don't jump at all. They usually hang onto low lying vegetation with two legs while holding the other six out like tiny grappling hooks. As you walk by, they hitch a ride and then begin to search for a nice spot to attach themselves. Since they usually don't crawl too far, you can discourage them by tucking your pant legs into your socks. If they don't find a suitable site they simply drop off and wait for the next sucker to come along. They're very patient--they can wait up to three years for you to come back.

Removal is quite easy. Grab the tick and slowly but steadily pull it out. Make sure that the mouth parts don't break off and remain in the wound as this can cause severe infections as well as other less pleasant afflictions. If the mouth parts do break off, use a sterilized needle to remove them and then use a little disinfectant on the wound.

While ticks can cause Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, the incidence is quite low and by checking after a days outing, you can usually catch the critters before they attach. Lyme Disease, another malady transmitted by ticks, has yet to be recorded in this area.

Ticks are one of the very few drawbacks of living in the mountains but with a little attention, they provide very little discomfort. Enjoy your hike and remember to check for hitch hikers.

Copyright Ward Cameron 2002