The sheep tick (Ixodes ricinus) is the most common in our country.
Photo: Pixabay / Erik Karits
During this Week of the Tick, the GGD and many other organizations pay extra attention to information about these animals: what are the risks, how can people protect themselves against them and how to act if a tick has struck. Usually such a bite is harmless, but it can lead to Lyme disease if the tick is bitten in the skin for a long time. Quick removal can prevent a lot of suffering.
As soon as the temperature rises, the coats come off and bare legs and arms appear. But ticks also become more active when it gets warmer. They occur all over the country: in forests, parks, on the heath, in the dunes and also in the garden. They sit near trees or shrubs, in tall grass or among dead leaves. So be alert when you are (or have been) in the green and always check for tick bites. They can bite anywhere, but have a preference for the groin, back of the knees, armpits, the buttocks, the edges of the underwear, behind the ears and in the neck around the hairline. Applying a product containing Deet beforehand can protect against bites.
Anyone who has spotted a sign or has been bitten by it can report this on the Tick Radar, which also shows where ticks occur. They have also been observed in Zaandam, according to the digital map.