Summer is peak season for West Virginia’s green industry. It’s also peak season for ticks.
If you’re spending long days working in lawns, landscapes, gardens, fields or wooded areas, you’re in exactly the kind of environment where ticks thrive. The good news: with the right habits, you can dramatically reduce your risk. Here’s what every green industry professional – and anyone who loves the outdoors – should know before heading out this summer.
TICKS IN WEST VIRGINIA: KNOW YOUR ENEMY
Three tick species are commonly found in West Virginia, according to WVU Extension:
- Black-legged tick (Deer tick): The only tick in West Virginia that transmits Lyme disease. Small, reddish-brown, and often the size of a poppy seed in its nymph stage – easy to miss.
- American dog tick: Larger and more common, but does not transmit Lyme disease. Can transmit Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.
- Lone Star tick: Common across the state. Can transmit ehrlichiosis and is associated with alpha-gal syndrome – an allergy to red meat triggered by tick bites.
Ticks are arachnids – more closely related to spiders than insects – and they need a blood meal at every stage of their life cycle. Because they feed on multiple hosts, they can pick up and transmit diseases between wildlife, livestock, pets, and people.
BEFORE YOU HEAD OUT: PREVENTION
Dress for the Job
- Wear long sleeves and long pants, even in the heat
- Tuck your pants into your socks or boots – it sounds old-fashioned, but it works
- Light-colored clothing makes it easier to spot ticks before they attach
- Wear closed-toe shoes – never sandals in tall grass or wooded areas
Use Repellent
- Apply EPA-registered insect repellent containing DEET, picaridin, or IR3535 to exposed skin
- Treat work clothing with permethrin – it remains effective through multiple washes and kills ticks on contact
- Permethrin-treated clothing is especially valuable for green industry workers spending long hours in the field
Be Smart About Where You Work
- Ticks prefer wooded areas, tall grass, leaf litter, and brush
- Walk in the center of trails and mowed paths when possible
- Avoid sitting directly on the ground or on logs in wooded areas
AFTER THE JOB: YOUR END-OF-DAY ROUTINE
According to WVU Extension’s best-practice guidance for outdoor workers, a consistent post-work routine is one of the most effective defenses against tick-borne illness:
- Check yourself thoroughly. Ticks like warm, hidden spots: behind the knees, in the groin, in the armpits, around the waistband, behind the ears, and in the hairline. A full body check every day after field work is non-negotiable.
- Shower promptly. Showering within two hours of coming indoors can help wash off unattached ticks and gives you a chance to do a closer check.
- Handle your clothes right. Place work clothing in a dryer on high heat for at least 10 minutes to kill ticks. If washing first, use hot water (at least 130°F).
- Check your gear. Boots, tools, backpacks, and equipment can carry ticks indoors. Inspect them before bringing them inside.
- Check your pets. If you have dogs or cats that accompany you or greet you after work, check them carefully – especially around the ears, collar area, under the legs, and between the toes.
IF YOU FIND A TICK ATTACHED
Stay calm. Not every tick bite transmits disease, and proper removal significantly reduces risk.
- Use fine-tipped tweezers – grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible
- Pull upward steadily and evenly – do not twist or jerk
- Do not crush, squeeze, or burn the tick
- Clean the bite area with soap and water or rubbing alcohol
- Save the tick in a sealed bag with the date and location noted
- Monitor for symptoms – fever, rash, headache, fatigue – for up to 30 days after the bite
- Contact your healthcare provider if symptoms develop
Do not: use petroleum jelly, nail polish, or heat to remove a tick. These methods don’t work and can increase disease transmission risk.
FOR TEAM LEADERS AND BUSINESS OWNERS
If you manage crews working in the field this summer, tick safety is a team responsibility:
- Brief your crew on tick identification and post-work check routines
- Make permethrin-treated clothing or repellent available as part of your seasonal safety kit
- Encourage open communication – workers should feel comfortable reporting bites or symptoms
- Build a brief tick check into end-of-day routines, especially after work in high-risk areas
Think of it like PPE: the habit isn’t exciting, but it protects your people and keeps your operation running.
WVU EXTENSION RESOURCES
WVU Extension has developed detailed tick management guidance specifically for outdoor and agricultural workers:
→ Best-Practice Tick Management for Working on the Farm: extension.wvu.edu/lawn-gardening-pests/pests/tick/best-practice-tick-management-for-working-on-the-farm
→ WVU Extension Pest Management Resources: extension.wvu.edu/lawn-gardening-pests/pests
THE BOTTOM LINE
Ticks are part of West Virginia’s summer landscape. But they don’t have to sideline your crew or your season. The right clothing, the right repellent, a solid end-of-day routine, and knowing what to do if a tick attaches – that’s the full playbook.
Stay checked. Stay protected. Stay out there doing the work you love.
WVNLA is committed to keeping West Virginia’s green industry informed, safe, and growing. For more resources, visit wvnla.org.
