What to Expect During Tick Season in Manitoba

After a mild winter with very little snow, experts say Winnipeg is seeing some insects, including ticks, come out of hibernation earlier than usual.

Catherine Rochon, associate professor of entomology at the University of Manitoba, said researchers received reports of the black-legged tick in Manitoba a week earlier than usual.

“It all depends from year to year,” he said in an interview on CTV Morning Live on Friday.

“If it's warm and it's not snowing, you'll have ticks.”

To stay safe, Rochon recommends finding ways to keep ticks away from your skin. This includes tucking socks into your pants and tucking your shirt.

If you are bitten by a tick, Rochon recommends using tweezers to remove the tick.

“Go as close to the skin as possible. “You catch the tick, then you pull it,” he said.

“That's it, you just pull. You don't jerk, you don't twist.'

Rohon noted that not all ticks are contagious, so a tick bite doesn't necessarily mean it hurts.

For those who spot a tick, Rochon recommends reporting the sighting to etick.ca to help determine what type of tick it is. The website also helps researchers track what people find and where.

“You take pictures, you upload pictures, and we tell you if it's a blacklegged tick or not,” he said.

“If it's a blacklegged tick, we can give you information.”

The difference between ticks

Rohon explained that black-legged ticks and wood ticks are different species.

He said black-legged ticks, if infected with the pathogen, can transmit it to humans. However, wood ticks, which are common in Manitoba, do not transmit Lyme disease or anaplasmosis to humans.

He said they also look different because wood ticks are reddish brown with patterns on the back, while black-legged ticks are smaller and darker brown.

Rochon said black-legged ticks have been present in Manitoba for about 20 years and are mostly found in areas south of Dauphin.

– With files from CTV's Rachel Lagasse.