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Ticks can remain active across Fairfax County during most of the year—even on warm winter days—making bite prevention important whenever residents spend time outdoors.
Lyme disease is Virginia’s most familiar and common tick-borne illness, but ticks can also spread Rocky Mountain spotted fever and ehrlichiosis. Tick numbers are difficult to predict because weather, habitat and the availability of host animals can cause populations to change from year to year.
Before heading outdoors
Ticks are common in grassy, brushy and wooded places. Walking a dog, gardening, camping, fishing or hunting can bring people into contact with them, but many bites occur closer to home in yards and neighborhoods.
Clothing and outdoor equipment can be treated with an insecticide containing 0.5% permethrin. Follow the product label carefully, allow treated items to dry completely and never apply permethrin directly to skin.
EPA-registered repellents can also be used on exposed skin and clothing as directed. Products recommended for tick protection contain active ingredients such as DEET, picaridin, IR3535, 2-undecanone, oil of lemon eucalyptus or para-menthane-diol.
When possible, avoid direct contact with areas where ticks are likely to be present.
Check for ticks after coming inside
Inspect clothing immediately because ticks can be carried into the home. To kill ticks on dry clothes, tumble-dry the items on high heat for 10 minutes. Damp clothing may require more time. If clothes must be washed first, use hot water because cold and medium-temperature water will not kill ticks.
Carefully inspect pets, coats, backpacks and other gear. A tick brought indoors can attach to a person later.
Showering within two hours of returning indoors may reduce the risk of Lyme disease and possibly other tick-borne illnesses. It can wash away unattached ticks and provides an opportunity for a thorough inspection.
Check the entire body after visiting a potentially tick-infested area, including your own backyard. Use a mirror to examine hard-to-see places. Pay particular attention under the arms, in and around the ears, inside the belly button, behind the knees, around the hair, between the legs and around the waist. Check children in the same areas.
How to remove an attached tick
Prompt checks and removal can help prevent infection because disease transmission generally takes several hours.
Use fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible. If tweezers are unavailable, protect your fingers with tissue, a paper towel or rubber gloves.
Pull straight upward using steady, even pressure. Do not twist or jerk the tick, which could leave its mouthparts embedded in the skin. Avoid squeezing, crushing or puncturing its body because its fluids may contain infectious organisms.
After removal, disinfect the bite area thoroughly and wash your hands with soap and water.
Free tick identification is available
Fairfax County offers a free service that can identify the type of tick involved in a bite. The service does not test ticks for Lyme disease bacteria or other disease-causing agents, and staff do not provide medical advice. However, knowing the species may be useful when speaking with a medical provider.
Staff do not remove attached ticks. After removing one, residents may request identification by submitting a photograph, bringing in the tick or mailing it to the county.