Do I have to be overly concerned about high risk of tick bites and lyme disease in Charlottesville? (Richmond: hotel, houses)

[ye_sf]

We are making a trip to check out Charlootesville in early November for a week. We are seriously considering moving there from sarasota, FL. I just read some articles about tick bites and lyme disease on the rise in Virginia. I am a bit concerned. We have 2 young kids and my elderly parents live with us as well. They are healthy. But do I need this added risks or am I just overly concerned for nothing? My husband wants me to do all the research I can to avoid all the regrets later.

I will be very grateful if someone can shed some light on this. Thank you so much.

Ye.

[proudestmonkey]

My family moved to Charlottesville from Long Island in the early 90's and we all had Lyme Disease (when we lived in NY) except for my dad. My mom was fanatical about protecting us outside, and we rarely did things like hiking, but it wasn't because of the area in general, it was just because of our past experience. It might be on the rise there, but I wouldn't let that keep me from moving somewhere. You just have to take precautions when you're out- try to stay away from long grass, tuck your pants into socks, check the kids when they get home, etc. Dog ticks are more plentiful than deer ticks there in my experience.

[Vasily]

I lived in Charlottesville in the 1970s, and spent a lot of time in grassy fields near town due to a research project I was involved in. At the height of the tick season (I think August?) I would come back from the field with 30-40 ticks on me. I would take extra clothing, stop at a University bathroom, strip, and examine my body closely for ticks; they cluster around the waistband, sock tops, anywhere where there's restricted clothing. I would take a small bottle of alcohol with me and drop the ticks into it when I pulled them off.

It takes time for a tick to burrow in and transmit the disease, so careful examination and removing ticks ASAP is the best approach to reducing your chance of infection. The Wikipedia page says there's little chance of infection in the first 24 hours ... but by then it's going to be very difficult removing a tick (it will likely have buried its head in your flesh by then). The sooner the better.

[CourageMom]

Ticks are still out and ready to release from a branch, a blade of grass, or a leaf onto you until late October - early November in Virginia.
It's good to keep in mind they are not completely gone just yet...
If you are sitting under trees or going walking in the woods you might encounter one on you.
Ticks are not a dilemma and you need not carry the thought as a concern any more than a housefly getting in the door.
The bug issues here are not great since we do have winter (below 32 degrees) that keeps bug populations lower,
unlike states with temps that stay warm.
C'ville is a nice location.. you will enjoy it.

[ShadowBat]

My dad lives in Tampa Bay area(Clearwater precisely) and with the kinds of bugs and other creatures that live there, I really would not be concerned about ticks. Yes I have had them on me before, but as others have stated, good examinations after being somewhere that might have a higher risk of getting them is essential. I'll take ticks over alligators any day!

[katjohnson123]

We have been in Charlottesville for 9 months to check out the area as well, looking at properties, hiking, etc. Every time we went out (especially April-July) we would always find ticks on us. One time I had 2 stuck in my back and good thing I had someone with me to take them out - can't imagine what people do who live alone. We are extra careful in checking but those little things creep me out. My husband got the dreaded bulls-eye rash and was treated with antibiotics. We have a dog too and let's not even go into that conversation! Other than the ticks, there is a ton to do around here. Love the scenery and vineyards. We are moving to another location mainly because of jobs, housing prices, lack of biking lanes, Route 29, limited health clubs, limited public open space and those ticks.

[usuario]

Yes ticks are a problem here, especially in heavily wooded areas. Always check your body and your kids for ticks after an outdoor activity near forests and bushes.

[ye_sf]

Our trip to charlottesville was fantastic... 4 adults and two children, we made it safely back home. I thoroughly enjoyed C'ville, the fall colors, the winding road, the hills, the brick houses, I felt I was in an oil painting the whole time. It was magnificant. We didn't think it is the place for us to raise the family though. This is a great city to visit, but very hilly, there are hardly any workable streets in the city unless you are in UVA grounds. Having lived in SF for 20 yrs, we would prefer more flat land. In terms of ticks, funny enough, i saw one crawling on my daughter's sleeve when we got into the hotel room, and I just picked him up and washed him away in the sink.

[Vasily]

Originally Posted by ye_sf

This is a great city to visit, but very hilly, there are hardly any workable streets in the city unless you are in UVA grounds. Having lived in SF for 20 yrs, we would prefer more flat land.

Like many towns in the piedmont region of VA/NC/SC, Charlottesville gets quite a few ice storms in the winter. Now imagine being in a movie/at a friend's house/at a party when an ice storm hits, driving down into one of those little valleys in between hills and trying to get up the other side. This happened to me many times in the five years I lived there ... the solution was usually abandoning my car and walking (or crawling) home .

For flatter land, you need to move somewhat east ... you might check out Richmond or Williamsburg in VA; Charlotte or the Research Triangle in NC; Columbia in SC. Which area would work best for you depends on your other requirements for a move so you might post inquiries in the appropriate forums for these towns.

[gregir]

Just out of curiousity, what are workable streets?