A Guide to Ticks in Southeastern Minnesota

Southeastern Minnesota is famous for its beautiful hardwood forests, blufflands, and outdoor recreational areas. However, this environment is also prime habitat for ticks. Understanding the differences between local tick species, the risks they pose, and how to safely respond if you find one on your child is crucial for keeping your family safe while enjoying the outdoors.

Steps to Preventing Tick Bites

Preventing a bite is the best way to stay safe. Before heading out to class or exploring the outdoors, follow these essential prevention steps:

1. Dress for Protection

Wear your socks over your pants! This creates a physical barrier so ticks cannot crawl up the inside of pant legs.
Wear light-colored clothing: This makes it much easier to spot dark ticks crawling on fabric before they reach the skin.
Cover up: Wear long sleeves, long pants, and closed-toe shoes.

2. Apply Tick Repellent

Please spray your child before arriving at class. Effective options include:

Permethrin: Used for treating clothing and gear beforehand (do not apply directly to skin).
DEET: A widely available, effective chemical insect repellent.
Picaridin: An effective alternative derived from piperine, a compound found in black pepper plants.
Essential Oil Blends: A natural choice, though they typically provide protection for a much shorter period of time and require more frequent reapplication.

🏡 Our Property Prevention: Our property is sprayed with Wondercide Flea, Tick, and Mosquito Yard Spray, which is a 100% plant-based prevention spray. This is always applied at least 2 days prior to class to minimize risk on-site.

3. Post-Outdoor Routine

Do a thorough tick check: Inspect your child’s entire body immediately after outdoor play, paying close attention to the hairline, behind the ears, underarms, and behind the knees.
Take a shower: Showering within two hours of coming indoors can help wash off unattached ticks and provides a great opportunity for a tick check.
Tumble dry clothes: Throw outdoor clothes straight into the dryer on high heat for 10–15 minutes. The dry heat is highly effective at killing any hidden ticks.

Tick Identification: Wood Ticks vs. Deer Ticks

The two most common ticks encountered by residents and visitors in southeastern Minnesota are the American Dog Tick (commonly called the wood tick) and the Blacklegged Tick (commonly called the deer tick). Identifying them correctly helps determine the potential health risks.

Deer Tick (Blacklegged Tick)

Very small (nymphs are the size of a poppy seed; adults are the size of a sesame seed).
Distinctly black legs.
Female: Reddish-orange lower body with a dark brown/black shield near the head.
Male: Dark brown to black overall, lacks bright coloration.

Wood Tick (American Dog Tick)

Noticeably larger (adults are about the size of an apple seed).
Dark brown or pale brown legs.
Female: Dark brown body with a prominent, whitish/creamy scutum (shield) behind the head.
Male: Dark brown with a mottled, creamy-yellow or grayish "lightning" pattern across the back.

Preferred Habitat

Deep hardwood forests, leafy debris, shaded brushy areas.

Tall grass, trails, fields, and sunny forest edges.

For official visual identification aids, you can view the Minnesota Department of Health Tick ID Card.

Health Risks & Tick-Borne Diseases

The type of tick matters because they transmit different types of bacteria and pathogens:

Deer Ticks: These pose the highest risk in Minnesota. They are primary vectors for Lyme disease, human anaplasmosis, and babesiosis. Lyme disease often presents with a "bullseye" rash, fever, chills, fatigue, and joint aches. Transmission of Lyme disease bacteria typically requires the tick to be attached for at least 24 to 36 hours.
Wood Ticks: While they are a nuisance, wood ticks rarely transmit diseases to humans in Minnesota. They can occasionally carry Rocky Mountain spotted fever or tularemia, but these instances are exceptionally rare in the state. They do not transmit Lyme disease.

To learn more about tracking and regional habitats, visit the Minnesota DNR Deer Tick Guide.

What to Do if a Tick is Found on a Child

If you discover an attached tick on your child, do not panic. Follow these step-by-step instructions recommended by public health officials:

Step 1: Immediate and Proper Removal

Use Tweezers: Use a pair of fine-tipped tweezers. Grasp the tick as close to the skin's surface as possible (right at its mouthparts).
Pull Straight Up: Pull upward with steady, even pressure. Do not twist or jerk the tick, as this can cause the mouthparts to break off and stay in the skin. If mouthparts break off, clean the area and let the skin heal naturally.
Avoid Folklore Methods: Never use petroleum jelly, nail polish, heat, or matches to try to smother or burn the tick. This can agitate the tick and cause it to regurgitate infected fluids back into your child's bloodstream.

Step 2: Clean the Site and Store the Tick

Thoroughly wash the bite area and your hands with soap and water, rubbing alcohol, or hand sanitizer.
Place the tick in a sealed plastic bag or container. You can write the date on the bag. This is helpful if a doctor needs to identify the species later.

Step 3: Monitor for Symptoms

Keep a close eye on your child for 30 days following the bite. Watch for signs of illness, including:

A rash expanding around the bite site (or appearing elsewhere on the body).
Fever or chills.
Unexplained fatigue, headaches, or muscle/joint pain.

For an interactive walkthrough on handling a bite, check out the CDC Interactive Tick Bite Guide.

When to See a Doctor

You should consult a healthcare provider or pediatrician if:

The tick was a deer tick and you estimate it was attached for 24 hours or longer. A doctor may discuss a preventative dose of antibiotics.
Your child develops a fever, rash, or flu-like symptoms within a month of the bite.
The bite site looks actively infected (increasing redness, warmth, swelling, or oozing).