Tick warnings posted at 3 popular Ontario provincial parks. What campers and hikers need to know
Ontario Parks has tick warnings in place for Bronte Creek Provincial Park in Oakville, Rondeau Provincial Park in Morpeth and Short Hills Provincial Park in Thorold.
Ontario Parks spokesperson Dave Hunt explains tick warnings are typically posted when there have been historically well-established tick populations, particularly in southwestern and southeastern Ontario.
“Ontario Parks located within areas identified by Public Health Ontario as established risk zones for blacklegged ticks are also likely to issue tick warnings,” he added.
Will more tick warnings be issued this summer?
As ticks continue to expand their range and become more prevalent in parts of Ontario, Hunt said tick alerts may continue to be issued or maintained at parks located in higher-risk areas throughout the season.
“These warnings are used to promote awareness and encourage visitors to take appropriate precautions while enjoying Ontario Parks,” he said.
Are tick warnings new to Ontario Parks?
These types of warnings are not new.
Hunt said Ontario Parks has long used a variety of methods to inform visitors and encourage protection against tick bites, such as articles in park publications, social media postings, fact sheets posted throughout park areas and different types of signage at trailheads and comfort stations.
How to check for tick warnings and other alerts at Ontario Parks
The alerts page on OntarioParks.ca is a more recent addition, notifying visitors about the presence of ticks in specific areas and to encourage them to take appropriate precautions to prevent bites.
What does Ontario Parks advise as ticks are more prevalent across southern Ontario?
Hunt said visitors may encounter ticks anywhere across the province, so signage is posted at trailheads and park message boards in Ontario Parks.
Developed in co-ordination with the Ontario Ministry of Health, these signs advise visitors to use insect repellent, wear long sleeves and pants tucked into socks, and perform a thorough tick check after outdoor activities.
Additionally, staff are trained to direct visitors with additional questions about ticks to their local public health unit or to the e-tick mobile application for assistance with tick identification.
Where have Lyme disease cases been reported in Ontario?
Risk areas for Lyme disease in southern Ontario can be found along the north shores of Lake Erie and Lake Ontario and on the south shore of Lake Huron, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada. In southeastern Ontario, risk areas can be found around Kingston in the St. Lawrence valley, extending northeast toward Ottawa.
How do I protect myself from ticks?
Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses can cause serious medical issues. Here are some proactive measures to take to avoid getting bitten by a tick.
Personal protection
- Wear light-coloured clothing so you can more easily see ticks if they’re crawling on you.
- Wear long sleeves, pants, socks and closed-toe shoes.
- Tuck your pants into your socks.
- Be conscious of where you go in nature: don’t sit on rocks or logs where ticks like to hide, and walk on groomed paths.
- Do a tick check on your body when you get home — especially check behind the ears and around your neck.
- Put your clothing in the dryer when you get home for about 15 minutes on a regular setting.
- Use a bug repellent approved by Health Canada.
Home and property maintenance
- Reduce a tick’s habitat around your home by removing overgrown gardens and cutting long grass.
- Get your yard sprayed for ticks using a reputable pest-control company.
- Eliminate leaf litter.
- Exercise wildlife management and control pests such as rats. When you reduce the number of hosts for ticks, you can lessen the population of ticks.
How to remove a tick if you get bit
- Get your supplies ready first. Grab some pointy tweezers if you’ve got them, a magnifying glass if you need them and a sandwich bag to place the tick into once it’s removed.
- Use the tweezers to grasp the tick firmly as close to the base of the skin as possible. Use a magnifying glass if you need to, in order to see the tick clearly. Don’t be afraid to have one side of your tweezers on the underside of the body.
- Pull firmly straight up, until the tick lets go of the skin. This may take a while. Do not twist the tick or rock it from side to side. Don’t squish the tick hard in the tweezers. Take your time, keep it straight. Your skin will raise up, like when plucking a hair. You can try using a free finger to poke down the skin as it gets pulled up with the tick, but it’s not necessary.
- You can use a tick-removal tool. There are a few different ones sold in Ontario. There’s the TickKey, sold at places like Cabela’s and Canadian Tire. Another brand in Canada is the Tick Tornado, which comes in two sizes and works by twisting off the tick with the device. This product is also available at Canadian Tire and some pet stores, as it also works with pets.
- If you are successful and the tick lets go, put it into the bag and close it. The tick might still be alive when you remove it. You can place it in the freezer for now. Wash the area of the body where it was lodged with soap and water, and clean your tweezers. If you have rubbing alcohol handy, use that to disinfect the area as well.
- You can call your family doctor to alert them about finding a tick, or call Ontario Health 811 for further instructions. You can also make a report on etick.ca.
- If you’re unsuccessful in removing the whole tick, try to do what you can to remove the mouth bits still left in your skin, as that can cause infection.
- Consult the flow charts like those published by PHO and CHEO for guidance on what to do next. In some cases, you’ll want to seek timely medical care.
- Contact your pharmacy to see if they are able to prescribe the antibiotics for Lyme disease. Since 2023, pharmacists have been able to prescribe medication to treat tick bites to prevent Lyme disease. Not every tick carries it, so it’s not always necessary to get the antibiotic. And you don’t need it if the tick has been on you for less than 24 hours. The antibiotic is a single dose of Doxycycline, which must be taken within 72 hours of removal.
- If you are asked to submit your tick for testing, then follow the procedures accordingly.
- Now the 30-day countdown begins to watch for symptoms. Watch for the telltale bullseye rash, or flu-like symptoms of headache, fever or chills, fatigue or muscle ache. If you experience these symptoms, consult your health practitioner.
For more information on ticks, visit the Public Health Agency of Canada’s website.
— With files from Janis Ramsay and Mike Pearson
