Now is the time of the year when many of us are venturing outdoors to work in our yards or walk in the woods. To protect ourselves, we need to be wary of various plants, such as poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac. While we use these three names interchangeably, they are not the same plants.
However, all three of them contain the chemical urushiol, which causes a rash when it touches the skin. It derives its name from urushi, a Japanese word meaning lacquer. The oil containing this chemical resides in the flowers, fruits, leaves, roots, and stems all year, even the fall and winter when these plants are dormant, and can cause a reaction during any season. In fact, according to Susan Post of Center for Economic Entomology, the oil is active for a long time after the plant dies, possibly years.
An amount as small as a nanogram, a billionth of a gram, can cause a rash. However, responses vary greatly among individuals. The American Academy of Dermatology states that 15% of people are not allergic, while the U.S. Department of Health believes that up to 30% of people have no response.
Although there is disagreement with how many people are allergic, the science is still the same. When the oil touches the skin of sensitive individuals, the body tries to remove the irritant by producing histamines in the form of a fluid in blisters on the skin. The chemical is so strong that it can be contracted by touching a pet that has rubbed against or rolled in a plant, grabbing the part of a tool that was used to cut it, or handling clothing that has brushed up against it. If these plants are burned, the oil becomes air born and can harm the eyes and lungs. Also, a reaction can develop if someone contacts the oil on the skin of another person. However, the rash itself cannot be caught, because the fluid in the blisters does not contain urushiol.
The best protection is to avoid the plants and anyone or anything that has touched them.
Despite its undesirable attributes, poison ivy is an interesting plant. It is native to North America. John Smith was probably the first European to write about it. In 1609, he described it as "the poisonous weed, being in shape but little different from our English ivie; but being touched causeth reddness, itchings, and lastly blysters, the which howsoever, after a while they pass away of themselves without further harme; yet because for the time they are somewhat painefull, and in aspect dangerous, it hath gotten itselfe an ill name." The name poison ivy may be attributed to him due to his comparison of it to English ivy.
Like many plants, it has a variety of common names. According to the book Just Weeds by Edwin Rollins Spencer, it is also called mercury, picry, poison creeper, poison vine, and three leaved ivy. Despite its name, it is not a true ivy, hedera, which is a ground creeper or climber and has only two leaves.
While the saying, "leaves of three, let it be" is a good rule of thumb to avoid poison ivy, it only looks like it has three leaves. Actually, it has a compound leaf, which is defined as two or more leaflets attached directly to the same stem. In this case, poison ivy has three leaf blades in a trifoliate pattern: one leaflet at the end of the stem and two below it that are directly across from each other.
It tends to grow at the edges of where humans live, work and play, sprouting in ground that has been disturbed. Unfortunately for us, it does not have any pests and requires little nutrition or water.
Also, it has three different forms in which it can grow. As a vine, it attaches itself to a tree, fence, or other lateral surface, by aerial roots, which support, but do not absorb nutrients or water. When the foliage is shed in winter, the roots are easier to see, helping to identify it out of the growing season. As a herbaceous plant, it does not have a permanent wood stem. Many garden and house plants fall into this description. Finally, as an upright shrub, it has a woody stem and can grow quite large.
For more information about poison ivy, visit the website www.poisonivy.us
In addition to poison ivy, ticks are a huge concern. With an increasing number of deer ticks in Pennsylvania, awareness of Lyme and other tick-borne diseases has become even more important than before. Sources include Penn State Extension, East Stroudsburg University and data collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Pennsylvania is the #1 state in confirmed Lyme disease cases. Ticks and the risk of Lyme disease exist in every county in Pennsylvania. All 67 counties have residents who have been diagnosed with the disease.
Lyme and other tick-borne diseases (TBD) can be serious but are preventable by avoiding high-risk areas, wearing proper clothing and repellent, carefully examining yourself and pets, and properly removing and disposing of any ticks you find. A study found that people wearing permethrin-treated sneakers and socks were 74 times less likely to have a tick bite. 74 times less likely! Permethrin is a chemical class of insecticide. It is available online and across the counter under several name brands.
Ticks are tiny arachnids that cannot jump or fly. They carry disease they pick up from other animals. They are opportunists that jump on any ride they can get. Deer ticks can survive the winter by riding on the warm body of a deer until spring when they may jump off into the brushy edges of meadows and woodlands and then lay up to 4,000 eggs. Their life cycle is 2 years; the nymph stage is most likely to transmit disease. A nymph is the size of the 12-font period.
When not traveling through thickets, ticks dwell in grass, leaf matter and on wood. They latch onto your lower legs, crawling upwards on your body, seeking warm, dark areas on which to attach. When hiking, stay in the middle of the path. Urban sprawl has contributed to a growing habitat for ticks. Tick habitat is on the increase in grassy edges of woodlands and fields as land is subdivided, and ticks love it.
Wear light clothing, long pants and shirts, socks and suitable footwear. Ticks will not survive 30 minutes in the dryer when they have attached to clothing, so anytime you have been in tick territory, take extra precautions – even with laundry. Apply insect repellents – both traditional and conventional in nature. Consider purchasing permethrin as recommended above. Check yourself, your children and your dogs.
The deer tick is one of four common ticks in PA – the other three are the American Dog Tick which is probably the most familiar, the Groundhog Tick and the Lone Star Tick which has a white dot (or star) on its back.
While Lyme is the most prevalent tick-borne disease in PA, there are at least 9 others including Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) has identified Lyme disease as the fastest growing disease in the US. For more information on Lyme disease, other tick-borne diseases and associated risks, please visit www.palyme.org.
In the unfortunate circumstance of an attached tick on you or anyone else, grasp the tick with tweezers as close to the skin as possible. Gently pull up slowly. Wait for tick to release. Do not twist.
Clean hands and bite area with soap and water or antiseptic. Tape tick to an index card and store in sealed bag in the freezer for 2-3 months. If symptoms develop, see your doctor. Otherwise, discard the segregated, frozen specimen. Symptoms can include a bulls-eye rash and flu-like symptoms.
Finally, become familiar with the word DARE to remember how to best stay safe here in tick country:
D – Defend you, your family and your property.
A – Avoid tick habitat.
R – Remember to dry clothes on high heat and shower within 2 hours of possible exposure to flush off a tick before it has an opportunity to attach.
E – Eliminate ticks.
As with any threat to our health and well-being, quality of life is paramount and simply considering what puts us at risk is important. Know what and where to look for ticks and take necessary precautions.
Read other articles on birds, wildlife & beneficial insects
