Ticks are parasitic arachnids similar to spiders, mites, and scorpions. Adult ticks are typically three to five millimeters long and reddish-brown, though characteristics vary based on age, tick species, and whether they are male or female. Ticks feed on warm-blooded hosts and can transmit bacteria and diseases, such as Lyme disease.
Unfortunately, ticks are resourceful, adaptable, and can withstand temperature fluctuations and other environmental changes that would kill other types of pests. They have hard shells to protect them from damage, can go without food for months, and can withstand heat and extreme cold. They can also survive being submerged in water for up to two or three days before eventually drowning.
Ticks and Water — What You Need to Know
Ticks are resilient creatures that can survive underwater for up to 72 hours thanks to their plastron, an alternate respiratory system that allows them to breathe through air trapped on their body hairs. Instead of their hydrophobic hairs absorbing water, they carry a thin layer of oxygen from the water to help them breathe while fully submerged. This ability to survive underwater doesn’t just apply to freshwater, ticks can survive when submerged in pools and oceans, too.
The ticks' uncanny ability to survive when submerged under water raises more questions about their ability to survive various conditions. Here are answers to some of the water-related questions you may be thinking about when it comes to ticks:
Do Ticks Like Water?
Ticks are opportunistic creatures. They tend to thrive near water and will often lay their eggs near bodies of water because it increases their chances of encountering a host. While they can’t swim because of their cumbersome body and tiny legs, it doesn’t prevent them from populating areas around water, especially areas where tall grass is present. You may have heard of “water ticks,” which are another name for lone star ticks that like being near water where mammals stop to drink.
How to Drown a Tick Quickly
After removing a tick, you may wonder if there’s a way to drown it quickly. The answer is yes if you submerge the tick in rubbing alcohol. However, you must be able to fully remove the tick (including the head), often with tweezers or another tick removal tool.
Can you drown ticks on a dog?
Unfortunately, you’ll need to remove the tick before killing it. As mentioned, ticks can survive submerged underwater for up to 72 hours, which makes drowning them while on a dog unrealistic.
Can Ticks Survive in Hot Water?
Ticks can survive in hot water until the temperature gets above 130°F, at which point they aren’t likely to survive. Some people opt to put their clothing through a hot wash or a dry cycle of thirty minutes or more to ensure no live ticks make it into their homes.
Can Ticks Survive in Ice and Snow?
If a tick is adequately protected under a layer of leaf litter, it can survive icy precipitation and chilling temperatures for months at a time. And when things really get cold, they handle the harsh winter conditions by entering a hibernation-like state called diapause. This state of hibernation slows down all non-essential functions to conserve energy and maintain only the functions needed for survival.
As stated, ticks are incredibly resourceful creatures who have developed almost superpower-like survival techniques. While eliminating them is not always easy, there are steps and precautions you can take to reduce the risks for you, your family, and your pets. This starts with understanding the lifecycle of a tick.
The Lifespan of A Tick: How Long Do They Live?
Ticks usually live for around two to three years. In terms of how long a tick can live without a host, it depends on the species and could range from months to two years. Take a look at the typical tick lifecycle:
- Egg: Healthy female ticks can lay thousands of eggs, beginning the tick lifecycle. They will often lay eggs right on the ground, close to wildlife.
- Larvae: Tick eggs hatch into six-legged larvae, which is when they start looking for warm blood through a process called “questing.”
- Nymph: Once the larvae consume blood, they shed their skin and transform into an eight-legged nympha that seeks another host with warm blood.
- Adult: Adult ticks will look for their third host to feed off of, which is typically large, like a deer or other large mammal.
As you may have surmised, there is a lot more to this tiny, almost unnoticed creature than meets the eye. Ticks have several survival characteristics that help them get through their lifecycle. For example, they are extremely small, usually less than a 1/8 inch in size, making them difficult to spot and squish. They also have hard shells that protect them. Perhaps their strongest survival trait is a tick’s ability to survive without feeding for months.
Preventing Tick Infestations In Your Yard
While ticks may not be easy to kill, there are proactive steps you can take to protect yourself, your family, and your pets from these disease-carrying pests. Preventing a tick infestation in your yard is the first step towards limiting your exposure. Here are some helpful tips to follow:
Know Where Ticks Thrive: First, understand where ticks thrive. This includes high grassy and lightly traveled wooded areas, as well as moist environments, like near pools and birdbaths.
Keep Your Yard Tidy:
Remove branches, leaves, and other litter to deter ticks from gathering in your yard. Also, trim bushes, trees, hedges, and grass. Avoid leaving stacks of wood near your home, especially if they can get wet after heavy rains.
Utilize Natural Barriers:
If your property is surrounded by trees, bushes, or tall grasses, consider using gravel or wood chips as natural barriers to create a hot, dry boundary that helps keep ticks away.
Seek Professional Tick Control Services:
For the utmost peace of mind, hire tick control professionals to inspect your property, identify tick hot spots, and apply treatment. Regular tick control treatments can help you enjoy the outdoors, and our Mosquito Joe® services will help accomplish just that.
Professional Tick Control Service
Ticks are true survivors, adaptable, and able to withstand extreme conditions, including being fully submerged in water for days. To minimize the risk of contact in and around your yard and property, you may need help from experienced professionals. Your local pest control experts at Mosquito Joe know the best way to eliminate and prevent a tick infestation on your property. Our extensive knowledge and experience in successfully dealing with ticks includes the following:
- Quality tick control solutions: Our tick control professionals will identify problem areas before applying a tick control spray.
- Eco-friendly pest control options: We also offer natural pest control solutions that utilize essential oils to provide effective pest control.
- Tick barrier sprays: Our barrier spray helps keep ticks and mosquitoes at bay for up to 21 days.
- Tick automated defense systems: For hassle-free application, we also offer high-quality automated defense systems that allow you and your family to enjoy your yard fully and freely.
- Satisfaction guaranteed: Our services are backed by The Neighborly Done Right Promise® and the Mosquito Joe Satisfaction Guarantee.
- Free estimate and inspection: Locally owned and operated, we offer free inspections, free estimates, and no contracts.
Ticks should be taken seriously. Don’t delay, give us a call or visit us online today to keep your home and backyard free from disease-carrying ticks.
This article is intended for general informational purposes only and may not be applicable to every situation. You are responsible for determining the proper course of action for your home and property. Mosquito Joe is not responsible for any damages that occur as a result of this blog content or your actions. For the most accurate guidance, contact your local Mosquito Joe location for a comprehensive, on-site assessment.
