Board discusses ticks, flies and distribution of tick-removal kits as insect season peaks
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Summary
Board members reviewed local reports of ticks and flies, recommended public-use prevention strategies (fly bags, sticky deer‑fly patches, dragonfly hat clips), and said they can distribute tick-removal tools from a prior MRC effort.
The Robertson Board of Health spent a portion of its July 8 meeting discussing vector-borne concerns as residents report more ticks, deer flies and horse flies in town.
Members described household prevention measures: hanging commercially sold "fly bags" filled with water at downwind corners of property to draw flies away from living areas; using adhesive deer-fly patches or novelty clips shaped like dragonflies on hats to deter or trap biting flies; and carrying small tick-removal tools available at pet stores, which members said can unscrew a tick when turned counterclockwise. The board recommended posting a short advisory on the town health page with these tips.
One member said the Medical Reserve Corps previously distributed about 1,400 tick-removal kits and that a supply likely remains; the board agreed it could place remaining kits in a basket at the town office for residents to pick up. Members also discussed offering hints on tick-bite aftercare and said the senior center is available as a cool spot during hot weather.
No new mosquito-control actions were authorized; members noted town spraying from roads is ongoing and that residents who are certified organic can request waivers for spraying near their property.