How to stay tick-free as you enjoy your Labor Day weekend: VDH

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- Don't let a tick ruin your final summer holiday! The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) is sharing tips on how to stay tick-free and healthy while enjoying the outdoors this Labor Day weekend.

As Virginians prepare to spend time outside for Labor Day, health officials are warning of the dangers of the state's common ticks and the serious diseases they can carry.

The Commonwealth's three most predominant tick species include the lone star tick, the American dog tick and the blacklegged tick. Examples of them are pictured below.

A lone star tick. (Photo: James Gathany/CDC via AP)

A blacklegged tick. (Photo: CDC via AP, File)

An American dog tick. (Photo: NIAID, Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

These ticks are most often found in wooded areas and grassy fields, but they are regularly found in suburban yards -- particularly those where deer are present.

What kinds of dangers do ticks pose to humans?

As of mid-July, Virginia emergency departments had already seen more than 9,000 tick-related visits in 2025.

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Four significant illnesses that ticks can transmit to a human they bite include:

• Lyme disease
  • Spread by infected blacklegged ticks
  • The most common tick-borne illness in Virginia
  • Can cause rashes, pain and swelling of the joints, arthritis, nerve issues, heart palpitations and even memory issues, among other symptoms
  • Over 1,400 cases documented across Virginia in 2024
• Alpha-gal syndrome
  • Spread by infected lone star ticks
  • Causes the infected person to become allergic to red meat and some other animal products
• Ehrlichiosis
  • Spread by both infected blacklegged and lone star ticks
  • The second-most common tick-borne illness in Virginia
  • Can cause fevers, headaches, nausea and vomiting, confusion and a rash, among other symptoms.
  • Can also cause breathing issues, bleeding disorders and neurological problems
  • Can be life-threatening or fatal
• Rocky Mountain spotted fever:
  • A type of Spotted Fever Rickettsiosis
  • Spread by multiple species of tick, including infected American dog ticks
  • Can cause fever, headaches, muscle pain and more, with its hallmark symptom being a spreading rash
  • Can be fatal if untreated

To avoid contracting a tick-borne disease, Virginia health officials are stressing the importance of remaining vigilant as you fire up the grill on these last days of summer.

How do I protect myself from tick bites?

It starts with preparing before you go outside. When you're heading into a possible tick habitat, health officials suggest wearing long pants with the cuffs tucked into your socks or boots and a long-sleeved shirt. Light-colored shirts are especially recommended, as they allow you to spot ticks better.

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Ideally, those clothes should be pretreated with the insecticide permethrin, which health officials said remains effective through multiple washes. You should let these treated clothes fully dry before wearing.

Then, on any and all exposed skin, apply insect repellents registered with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that contain DEET, picaridin, IR3535, 2-undecanone or lemon eucalyptus oil.

To protect your pet, consider tick prevention products. Your veterinarian can suggest a product that best suits your furry friend.

Once you head back inside, thoroughly examine your body, clothes and pets for ticks. When examining yourself, health officials suggest either using a mirror or asking someone else to help you -- especially as you check places like your scalp, behind your ears, your underarms and behind your knees.

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The VDH also recommends a prompt shower and tumble-drying the clothes you wore, which will kill any remaining ticks.

I was bitten by a tick -- what do I do now?

If you find a tick attached to your skin, health officials advise you remove it as soon as possible. Grasp the tick as close to the surface of your skin as possible, then pull upwards with steady, even pressure. A pair of fine-tipped tweezers is recommended.

A diagram showing how to appropriately grasp a tick to remove it. (Photo: Virginia Department of Health)

Once you get the tick off of you, clean both the bite and your hands. You can do so with rubbing alcohol, an iodine scrub or soap and water.

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Finally, keep an eye out for any symptoms. These can take several weeks to develop. If you notice a rash or if you start burning a fever, reach out to your healthcare provider immediately.

You can get help identifying the tick that bit you -- and therefore gain better insight into the illnesses you may be at risk of developing -- by submitting a picture of it to the VDH's Tick Survey. This also helps the VDH better understand Virginia's tick population.

For more tick prevention tips, click here.