With tall grass growing on some areas of the site it is worth repeating the warning on the danger posed by ticks.
This is a tick and despite its size it will be responsible for causing 3,000 new cases of Lyme disease in the UK this year — most of which will remain undiagnosed.
Ticks are more common in long grass. If you are working on your allotment, try to avoid these areas and stick to the mown paths.
- If you find a tick on your skin, remove it by gently gripping it as close to the skin as possible.
- Use a pair of tweezers that won’t squash the tick (such as fine-tipped tweezers), or use a tick removal tool (available from pet shops or vets).
- Pull steadily away from the skin without twisting or crushing the tick.
- Wash your skin with water and soap afterwards, and apply an antiseptic cream to the skin around the bite.
- Don’t use a lit cigarette end, a match head or substances such as alcohol or petroleum jelly to force the tick out.
One of the first signs of an infected tick bite is a rash, which looks like a bull’s eye on a dart board. Other early symptoms include aching joints and muscles, plus a stiff neck and fever.
Symptoms are thought to begin showing at around 30 days after a person has been bitten.
If the condition is left untreated, symptoms can progress to numbness of the limbs and temporary paralysis of your facial muscles.
In rare cases, Lyme disease can lead to inflammation of the heart muscles, which can cause the heart to beat irregularly.
Please take care its a jungle out there.
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