With the advent of spring and warming weather, more people are venturing outdoors to work and play. This also means it is a good time to start getting in the habit of protecting yourself from ticks. Ticks (Family: Ixodidae) are a parasitic group of arthropods that feed on blood from their animal hosts. They are active year-round (even in the winter when temperatures are above freezing), and are considered important medical/veterinary pests because of their ability to transmit a number of disease agents.

Life History and Habits
The lifecycle of ticks consists of four stages; the egg, six-legged larva (often called seed ticks), eight-legged nymph, and adult (also with eight legs). Ticks must feed (take a blood meal) at each stage to complete their lifecycle, which can take one to three years to complete. Each stage generally feeds on a different animal host. Ticks become engorged after taking a blood meal and drop from the host to find a protected location to molt to the next stage. Adult females begin laying eggs shortly after their final blood meal. Under favorable conditions, ticks can survive for several months without feeding.

Ticks do not jump or drop from trees onto their hosts. They wait in a position known as “questing.” Questing ticks will rest on vegetation (often at ground level to about waist height) with their front legs outstretched waiting to climb on a suitable host as it brushes by. Various stimuli such as body heat, the carbon dioxide that animals produce when they exhale, movement, and other bodily cues of the host can intensify questing 
behavior. Some ticks may quickly attach and begin feeding once on a host. Others may wander for up to a few hours before settling on a spot to feed. 

In order for a tick to take a blood meal without being detected or dislodged, it injects small amounts of saliva with anesthetic properties at the site of attachment. If the tick is infected with a pathogen, it is transmitted to the host through the saliva. A tick initially acquires the pathogen when feeding on an infected host.

Common Species and Medical Importance
Common tick species affecting humans in Virginia include the American dog tick (Dermacentor variabilis), blacklegged or deer tick (Ixodes scapularis), and lone star tick (Amblyomma americanum) (see image).

The American dog tick is commonly encountered west of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia. Although it can be found feeding on dogs (as the name suggests), it will readily feed on numerous other animal hosts including humans. American dog ticks are the primary carrier for the pathogen causing Rocky Mountain spotted fever. It can also transmit the pathogen responsible for tularemia.

The blacklegged or deer tick is commonly encountered in mixed forests and along woodland edges throughout Virginia. The larval and nymphal stages typically feed on small rodents (the preferred host is the white-footed mouse). Deer are the primary hosts during the adult stage. Blacklegged ticks are the primary carrier for the pathogen causing Lyme disease. They also transmit anaplasmosis, babesiosis, and Powassan virus.

The lone star tick is commonly encountered in the Piedmont and Coastal Plain regions of Virginia. Lone star ticks transmit the pathogens causing ehrlichiosis, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, southern tick-associated rash illness (STARI), and tularemia.

Tick Integrated Pest Management

Personal Protection
The most important and effective way to protect yourself from ticks and tick-borne diseases is to regularly check your entire body for attached ticks, and promptly remove and kill any ticks found. The probability of a tick transmitting a disease-causing pathogen increases the longer an infected tick is attached. For example, in the case of Lyme disease, the tick must be attached for at least 36 to 48 hours to transmit the disease. Ticks may feed anywhere on the body, but can commonly be found around the scalp, behind the ears, under armpits or behind knees, and around waistbands. Because tick bites are often painless, most people will be unaware that they have an attached tick without careful visual inspection.

When entering habitat with a high risk of tick exposure (i.e., heavy woods, tall grasses, woodland edges), there are several precautions you can take to limit contact with ticks. When hiking along trails, stay in the center and avoid brushing against weeds and tall grass. Wear light-colored clothing with long pants tucked into socks and shirts tucked into pants. This can make ticks easier to spot and keep them on the outside of clothes. Using a tick repellent on skin and clothing is also highly recommended. The Environmental Protection Agency and Centers for Disease Control list DEET, picaridin, IR3535, oil of lemon eucalyptus, and 2-undecanone as effective active ingredients in tick repellents. Wearing permethrin treated clothing is also particularly effective. If treating clothing yourself, be sure to follow all label instructions and allow the product to dry completely before wearing.

If an attached tick is found, remove it using thin tipped tweezers or forceps. Grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible, and pull the tick upward with steady even pressure. The idea is to remove the tick with its
mouthparts intact to reduce the risk of infection. Other methods of tick removal (i.e., petroleum jelly, heat from matches) are not recommended. Removed ticks can be stored in rubbing alcohol in case disease symptoms develop and the tick needs to be identified. National laboratories can also provide Lyme and other tick-borne disease testing on removed ticks (fees usually range between $50-$100).

Landscape Management
Desiccation (drying out) is a major cause of natural tick mortality. Taking steps to reduce surface humidity and moisture can make an area less favorable for ticks. For example, keeping grass and weeds mowed, clearing leaf litter, and pruning/removing trees to increase sunlight in areas frequently used by people can help discourage ticks.
There is a positive correlation between the abundance and distribution of the blacklegged tick and the size of white-tailed deer populations. Adult blacklegged ticks preferentially feed on deer. Therefore, deer may bring engorged adult female ticks into a landscape where they can lay eggs and increase tick numbers. Deer management options such as fencing, repellents, guard animals, and deer resistant landscape plantings can help reduce tick populations in an area.

​Chemical Controls
If landscape management practices fail to provide adequate tick control, insecticides (called “acaricides” when used for ticks) can help reduce populations. Appropriately labeled acaricides should be applied only to areas where ticks may inhabit (e.g., woodland edges, shady perennial beds). It is seldom necessary to treat an entire yard or lawn area because ticks are unlikely to inhabit areas exposed to full sunlight. Common active ingredients used by pest control professionals include those in the pyrethroid class of insecticides (e.g., bifenthrin [Talstar P, Up-Star]; cyfluthrin [Tempo], pyrethrins [ExciteR, Pyganic]). Spray treatments are most effective when applied using a high-pressure sprayer in the early spring. An additional application in the fall can be used to target adult ticks if populations are particularly high. Pyrethroids should not be applied when
pollinators are active, near areas where plants are blooming, or near standing water, streams, or rivers to reduce negative effects to the environment and non-target organisms.
​
Another option to treat ticks around the home is to target acaracides on small mammals that may be living in the area. In many instances, mice are the reservoir hosts responsible for producing disease carrying ticks (particularly Lyme disease). Rodent targeted devices such as “tick tubes” (e.g., Thermacell), are cardboard tubes containing cotton balls treated with an acaricide. The idea is to spread these around the landscape where mice, or other rodents, will find them and take the cotton as nesting material. Then, any larval or nymphal ticks attached to the animal will contact the acaricide on its fur and die.

Virginia Department of Forestry - Tree and Forest Health Guide

By Ellen Powell, VDOF

Virginia Department of Forestry (VDOF) has a new Tree and Forest Health Guide, available in PDF format from the agency website.

This book was originally created for VDOF field staff who encounter tree health issues every week, but it’s also a great resource for Virginia Master Naturalist volunteers. The guide has sections on insects, other animals, diseases, and abiotic factors that affect tree health. There are multiple photographs for most issues, and the symptom descriptions and management recommendations are easy to understand. The book also has a helpful index to common pests and diseases listed by tree species.

Virginia Department of Environmental Quality - Landscaping with Native Plants Webinars

By Ann Regn, VDEQ

​Space is still available to participate in the Landscaping with Native Plants webinar series. 

The spring presentations conclude in May, but the series picks up again in September. Register today and receive a recording of the webinars you missed. A portion of the $10 registration fee will help support the Plant Virginia Natives initiative. 

The Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program (CZM), led by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, collaborated with Plant Virginia Natives regional campaigns to offer this 12-part webinar series state-wide.

The series began with a keynote presentation by Doug Tallamy who pitched his new book about oaks and a Homegrown National Park. “Hearing Doug’s compelling message in-person is a huge treat, but a silver lining of having to go virtual is how many more people we are reaching through the webinar format,” explains CZM Outreach Coordinator Virginia Witmer. “Currently, there are 2,737 registrants, and we have increased capacity due to the overwhelming response. And the participation during Q&A has been tremendous. The partnership has fielded many more questions than what could have been handled at an in-person event.”

The program has engaged many organizations, but Witmer noted that special thanks goes to the Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden and Blue Ridge PRISM for help with registration and being Zoom hosts.  
​ 
Although the webinar series was planned with native plant novices in mind, post webinar comments confirm that the presentations have had a lot to offer all levels. 

Virginia Department of Environmental Quality - Virginia Agencies to Stop Single-use Plastics

By Ann Regn, VDEQ
​
On March 23, Governor Northam signed Executive Order Seventy-Seven (EO 77), Virginia Leading by Example to Reduce Plastic Pollution and Solid Waste, which orders all executive branch state agencies, including institutions of higher education, and their concessioners to take a series of steps to reduce plastic pollution and eliminate the need for new solid waste disposal facilities in Virginia. The requirements of the executive order are under development and will be distributed to state agencies according to the designated timeline.  

First among the actions agencies must take is the cessation of buying, selling or distributing certain single-use plastic and polystyrene items by July 21. Following the cessation of use, agencies are directed to phase out all non-medical single-use plastic and expanded polystyrene objects entirely by the end of 2025 and develop plastic pollution and solid waste reduction plans. NOTE: The executive order does provide for exemptions in certain instances. 

The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is charged with providing agencies with a template for the plastic pollution and solid waste reduction plans, including a mechanism to inventory the non-medical single-use plastic and expanded polystyrene items typically used. DEQ, in coordination with other agencies, is also required to develop guidance and recommendations on plan implementation.  

Additional information on implementation of EO 77 is available on DEQ’s website.

Each quarter, we invite VMN chapters to share stories of volunteers' awards and accomplishments.  Our Laurels posts are not only a way to provide recognition to those volunteers, but also an opportunity to inspire other volunteers.  If you are inspired by one of the projects or accomplishments mentioned here and want more information, please contact the VMN state office and we'll put you in touch!

VMN-Shenandoah Chapter Project Receives Governor's Award

In March, the Shenandoah Chapter's Sensory Explorers' Trail project received one of the highest awards for environmental work in Virginia, the Governor's Environmental Excellence Award.  The project, completed in partnership with Sky Meadows State Park and its Friends Group, was honored with a bronze medal in recognition of its significant contributions to conservation and the environment.

The Sensory Explorers’ Trail is a .3-mile loop located inside the chapter’s 76-acre Outdoor Laboratory area at Sky Meadows State Park in Delaplane, VA.  The project goal is to provide a way for people of all ages and abilities to engage their senses in the exploration of the natural world.  More than 50 Shenandoah Chapter volunteers worked to conceive, research and design the trail, raise funds, develop its exhibits and audio tour, and complete the construction.  The result is a trail designed for all, signage, print booklets, and an audio tour.  Laure Wallace, Certified VMN, served as the main project leader.  She worked on this project for more than 2 years and demonstrated the ideals of the VMN program for inclusivity, both in terms of finding a way for every volunteer who wanted to be involved to be able to contribute, and in terms of working with partners to really make the trail accessible to a diversity of potential users.  You can find the audio tour online and read a lot of the interpretive material on the chapter’s website, but we encourage you to take the time to visit Sky Meadows and have the full experience. 

Les Lawrence Achieves 6,000 Volunteer Hours!
--By Rick Brown, VMN-Historic Rivers Chapter

Recently the Virginia Master Naturalists created the Golden Circle for those who members who have achieved the remarkable goal of volunteering for 5,000 hours. Les Lawrence was one of our Chapter’s charter members. I sent him a note of congratulations and said, “Now on to 6K”. He wrote back and said he didn’t think he would ever get there and was thinking of cutting back a little. I didn’t believe him then because everywhere I go there was Les, and also at many other places that I didn’t attend. Well, last week he hit the new mark and becomes the third member of our Chapter to get there.  

If you haven’t met Les, you probably don’t get out much. If you’re new to the Chapter he will walk up and introduce himself and immediately become your friend. I first met Les when I was in Basic Training, on my first field trip. We all met in a parking lot somewhere and he came over and introduced himself and invited me to ride with him. We have been friends ever since. But, then Les has hundreds of friends. Les is one of those people that others just feel good being around. When he’s in the woods, he knows his stuff; everything that flies, crawls, hops or grows he can tell you a story about. Les earned 6,000 hours not because he had a goal. It just happened because he enjoys being around other people. And when others are around, Les is naturally willing to share what he knows. I asked some of Les’s other friends in the Chapter who have known him longer to also offer their observations. 

In the last few years, Les has had a couple of health challenges, but did that stop him…. NO!
Almost every week, he comes out to do wildlife mapping at York River State Park. Some days he walks the whole route, while other days he leaves a bit early. We enjoy his company so much, he is a big part of the team, and is a great resource for trees, birds, and butterflies. He’s often the first to offer an identification and sometimes the last to verify one. 
Prior to COVID, you could always count on Les for a big hug. Now, its just warm wishes and a big smile from behind the mask. I can’t wait to get back to those needed hugs.
--Adrienne Frank

Les Lawrence never met a stranger and very seldom met a project he did not like. He is always one of the first to volunteer for cleanup and trash pickup projects and does not retreat from projects requiring dirty hands and boots. The choice for the recipient of the Chapter's 2019 Nancy Norton Spirit Award was an easy one. Les Lawrence embodies the spirit of all that is good about the Historic Rivers Chapter.
--Shirley Devan

I was lucky enough to sit next to Les for Basic Training way back in Cohort IV. He made every class more fun with his humor and enthusiasm. Our chapter is great because of members like Les.
--Dean Shostak

6,000 hours! What great news!  He's such a jewel in our HRC crown!
--Judy Jones

My first contact with the Master Naturalist program was in the fall of 2010 at the HRC display at the Williamsburg Farmers Market. I was greeted by a very friendly, outgoing volunteer who enthusiastically explained the program and organization. It was Les Lawrence and he “had me at hello”.
As a member of Cohort VI in 2011, I was eager to start participating in Volunteer Project activities as soon as we finished Risk Management. My first activity was at York River State Park collecting acorns under the guidance of Les Lawrence. A couple of days later I volunteered to build oyster reef balls at VIMS, and there was Les, who told me I would really love this project because I could swing a hammer as hard as I could (!). A few days later I helped at Wallerpalooza, an outreach event at Waller Mill Park, and there was Les teaching me about frogs and toads (“what’s the difference?”). Soon after I went to New Kent Forestry Center to measure trees, there was Les, then York River State Park Friday Follies, led by Les. You get the idea. Les is the quintessential Master Naturalist. He is involved, helpful, smart, well- informed, encouraging, funny, supportive, humble, and a great friend. It is an honor and a privilege to know and count as a friend and fellow Master Naturalist Les Lawrence. Congratulations on an outstanding achievement of 6000 volunteer hours, Les.
--Nancy Barnhart

Les will tell you he’s not planning on getting to 7,000 hours, but don’t believe him. It is not in his nature to stay home when others are out and about. Count on Les to show up with a smile and a story. His license plate kind of says it all “POPNAT”. 
Congratulations Les! As Glinda, says to Elphaba in the musical “Wicked”; “Like a seed dropped by a sky bird in a distant wood; who’s to say if we’ve been changed for the better?  But because I knew you, because we knew you, we have been changed for good.” Les, you really make being a Master Naturalist mean something. Thanks, now to 7K! 
--Rick Brown

VMN - Banshee Reeks Chapter Graduates a Dozen New VMN Volunteers
Editor's note: The Banshee Reeks Chapter (based in Loudoun County) was our only VMN chapter that held a fully in-person course during the last year.  They only moved to virtual for two classroom sessions on very cold days when it wasn't practical to keep the doors and windows in their training venue open.  The volunteers leading the training, the instructors, and the trainees all deserve extra kudos for the work that it took to provide an excellent and safe learning experience under COVID protocols!

--By Susan Sims, VMN-Banshee Reeks Chapter

Banshee Reeks is excited to announce the graduation of the VMN class of 2021. After 8 months of hard work, dedication and commitment to being strong stewards of Virginia's natural resources, 12 new graduates have joined the VMN family! Thank you to the Training committee for working diligently to ensure the safety of the students, instructors, and training assistants over the last year.

Welcome to the VMN Class of 2021!
Penny Barry
Kathy Cain
Mike Cain
Dave Groy
Gail Groy
Mary Hess
Laura Karwoski
Tom Larsen
Mark Long
Jessie Pickard
Cynthia Stowers
Jake van Schilfgaarde

A New Volunteer-created Educational Resource on Atlantic Sturgeon

--By Judy Jones, VMN-Historic Rivers Chapter

Dean Shostak, a member of Historic Rivers Chapter of VMN, has created a video for Virginia Cooperative Extension's Watershed Wonders Wednesday educational YouTube series. The video focuses on the Atlantic Sturgeon of the James River—their life cycle, their history, and the need to preserve this species for the future. Working on the project for over two months, Dean gathered information, wrote the script, interviewed Atlantic Sturgeon specialist Dr. Matt Balazik of the VCU Rice Rivers Center, edited the material, and finally presented it to Virginia Cooperative Extension in its finished form.

Dean became involved in the project after Michelle Prysby sent an email out in 2020 asking for volunteers. The contact person for the project was Ruth Wallace, VCE 4-H agent in Buckingham County. Dean was especially grateful for the support he received from HRC’s co-advisor, Meagan Thomas of DWR. She connected Dean with Dr. Balazik for the  interview. Several members of the community also helped provide images including Captain Mike Ostrander of Discover the James, and Barbara Houston of the Colonial Nature Photography Club. And, of course, there was help and support from various members of the Historic Rivers Chapter. But it was Dean’s skill with videos, his creative approach to the project, and the narration read by Historic Rivers Chapter president Rick Brown that combined for such an interesting and high caliber product.

Folks interested in viewing this amazing seven-minute video can see it at the following link:
Atlantic Sturgeon of the James River - YouTube

In addition, VMN volunteer Daina Henry in the Peninsula Chapter created another video in the series on monitoring water quality in the Lower James watershed, and VCE 4-H agents and other partners created many others.  View the whole series online, and thank you to the VMN volunteers who stepped up to help with this educational effort!

VMN Recognized for Dedication to Arlington County's Parks

--Contributed by Kasha Helget, VMN-Arlington Regional Chapter.  See the Arlington County website for additional details.
​
Glenn Tobin is the 2020 winner of the Bill Thomas Park Volunteer Award, which recognizes an individual or group whose efforts show ongoing dedication and tangible benefit to Arlington’s natural resources, parks and public open spaces.

Glenn is an Arlington Regional Master Naturalist (ARMN) since 2016 and Trail Maintainer with the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club (PATC) since 2015. Among his efforts were to remove invasive plants at Windy Run Park and the adjacent Potomac River waterfront in the George Washington Memorial Parkway. Because of his work alone and with volunteers, significant natural areas are recovering and becoming more beautiful and biodiverse. In 2020, Glenn raised money and worked with the PATC and the National Park Service (NPS) to rebuild the stone stairway that connects the Windy Run park trail to the Potomac Heritage Trail along the river, improving access for many people. Then, inspired by the reemergence of diverse native flora at Windy Run and along the Potomac, Glenn began working with experts in ecology, botany, and natural resources to create a detailed website, Natural Ecological Communities of Northern Virginia (https://www.novanaturalcommunity.com/). As a result of Glenn’s leadership, ARMN is adopting natural plant communities as a framework for park restoration, in collaboration with local jurisdictions. This work will have lasting impact on restoration planning throughout the County and on selection of plant species for the County’s native plant nursery.

Some of Glenn’s other work includes helping lead Weed Warrior Training with the NPS, assisting in leadership for Park Stewards, and mentoring others who share deep passion for helping restore natural areas in Arlington County and beyond.

Best of the Blue Ridge Environmentalist Award

Ida Swenson, Certified VMN volunteer in the Rivanna Chapter, was the runner-up for the Environmentalist Award in Best of the Blue Ridge.  Best of the Blue Ridge is Blue Ridge Outdoors Magazine's annual reader's choice awards, and the top three vote-getters were listed online and in the February magazine issue.  Ida's accomplishments include more than 5,000 hours of service as a VMN, particularly in the areas of youth environmental education and water quality monitoring.  She helped start the Rivanna Chapter 15 years ago and has continued to be a leader in the chapter since that time.  Learn more about the Rivanna Chapter in this recent C-ville Weekly article, written by a current VMN trainee.

National Volunteer Week 2021 is April 18-24, and, as part of the celebration, leaders of Virginia Cooperative Extension and its many volunteer programs thank our volunteers for their tremendous contributions.

​Relevance

Americans’ interest in nature is growing. There is a large constituency of people, both urban and rural, engaged in non-consumptive uses of natural resources such as birdwatching, and studies show this population is growing.  Due to the pandemic, parks and natural areas in Virginia experienced record visitation in 2020, and people also sought new ways to connect with nature at home.  Research also shows, however, that Americans still face a significant gap between their interest in nature and their ability and opportunities to pursue that interest.  Individuals need opportunities to be actively involved in exploring, caring for, and observing nature in their local communities.  Furthermore, because the most impactful experiences in nature are deeply social, opportunities to connect people with nature through social groups are needed.  

At the same time, the Commonwealth of Virginia is facing difficult natural resource challenges, such as loss of forestland, sea level rise, and invasive species impacts. State and local natural resource agencies need help to accomplish their missions, address these natural resource challenges, and reach more sectors of our population. Public engagement is critical to successful conservation and management of Virginia’s woods, wildlife, and waters.

​Response

The Virginia Master Naturalist (VMN) program addresses these needs by supporting a statewide corps of volunteers providing education, outreach, and service dedicated to the beneficial management of natural resources and natural areas within their communities. With 29 chapters across Virginia, the program aims to extend the capacities of both state and local natural resource agencies and organizations to be able achieve their missions in new ways, engage new audiences, and work towards creating a citizenry more informed about and involved in natural resource conservation and management.  The program, because of its chapter-based structure, also promotes learning about, exploring, and stewarding natural areas through social groups.  

Every year, hundreds of Virginians become new VMN volunteers through training and service. The process for becoming a Certified VMN typically takes 6 to 12 months. One starts by completing a 40-hour basic training course offered by one the local chapters of the program. An additional 8 hours of continuing education and 40 hours of volunteer service are also required to become certified or recertified, though this requirement was halved in 2020 in recognition of the limitations on service due to the pandemic. Volunteer service hours are recorded in four primary areas: education, stewardship, citizen science, and chapter administration. At the statewide level, the program is sponsored by seven state agencies, and on the local level, chapters partner with dozens of conservation and education organizations.

​Results

The VMN program currently has approximately 2,150 active volunteers who reported service in 2020. These volunteers completed more than 28,000 hours of training and continuing education in 2020. They also contributed significant volunteer time in the areas of education, citizen science, stewardship, and chapter administration, amounting to more than $4.25 million in contributions to natural resource conservation in Virginia (based on IndependentSector.org value of a volunteer hour.) Since the program’s inception in 2005, VMN volunteers have contributed nearly 1.5 million hours of service with a value of $37.9 million to the Commonwealth of Virginia. 

In 2020, VMN volunteers contributed more than 41,000 hours of stewardship to improve local natural resource conditions on more than 400 sites through invasive plant management in parks, maintenance of habitats for pollinators and other wildlife, trail maintenance of hundreds of miles of trails, and litter cleanup events.  They also helped create more than 40 new habitat sites through planting and restoration projects.  Among these were many sites in schoolyards, which not only have positive impacts for natural resources but also offer youth increased opportunities for outdoor learning.  Richmond-area volunteers accomplished a major restoration in the urban Bellemeade Park, adding stormwater management features and pollinator habitats along with interpretive signs and educational lesson plans for teachers in nearby schools to use.  Volunteers in Loudoun County helped plan, design, and build a nature play area for youth at the Blue Ridge Center for Environmental Stewardship.