Fire Island National Seashore - For Your Safety: Avoid Ticks (U.S. National Park Service)

Upside down, a brown dog tick grasps a blade of grass.

American dog tick, with its legs questing for a ride on its next meal, waits patiently near the end of a blade of grass.

Several species of ticks live on Fire Island. The tiny deer tick can transmit Lyme disease and other illnesses, so you should avoid grassy areas or leaf litter where these ticks may be abundant. Wear light-colored clothing and check yourself frequently for ticks. Use an appropriate insect repellent and follow directions carefully. If bitten, remove the tick carefully with fine-tipped tweezers and consult a doctor.

Lyme disease is a devastating bacterial disease which is transmitted by a tick bite. Symptoms of Lyme disease may include joint pain, fever, lethargy, heart problems, kidney problems, loss of appetite and depression.

Other species of ticks also carry bacteria that can cause serious disease including ehrlichiosis and Rocky Mountain spotted fever.

Woman stands on trail with grasses and shrubs nearby.

Even on established trails, you should be aware that "questing" ticks can be found clinging to overhanging grass and shrubs.

For further information about and other vector-borne illnesses, visit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control:

For More Information

A series of Science Synthesis Papers was published in 2005 to support the preparation of a General Management Plan for Fire Island National Seashore.

Vector-borne Diseases on Fire Island, New York(Fire Island National Seashore Science Synthesis Paper)
Technical Report NPS/NER/NRTR--2005/018
by Howard S. Ginsberg

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