Preservation Parks of Delaware County

Tick Prevention cont'd...

Spined Micrathena

Look for these oddly-shaped spiders with a large rear and spiny black projections as you walk through the woods this time of year. .

They build their large orb webs, with a tight spiral, "face high" across walking paths.

The spiders are harmless to humans and you could practice your limbo skills as you try to avoid destroying their webs.

Ticks are found in overgrown lots, farm fields, along weedy roadsides, and at the edges of paths and hiking trails. In the spring and summer, common adult ticks wait on vegetation for a suitable host to pass by.

When a person or animal brushes against the vegetation, the tick will cling to fur or clothing and begin to crawl upwards, seeking a place to attach.

The ticks most commonly found in our parks range in size from the head of a pin to a pencil eraser, so they are easy to spot.

Where possible, Preservation Parks staff members mow a strip of grass along the outside edges of trails to lessen the chances of walkers picking up a tick.

Also, using insect repellent can help keep you from going home with a tick.!

Preservation Parks of Delaware County | 2656 Hogback Road | Sunbury, Ohio 43074 | 740-524-8600 | Fax: 740-524-8200