Category Archives: Tick Control

Fall is a favorite season for many people. The crisp air and the cooler weather bring up many feelings of nostalgia and happiness. However, fall also brings an unwelcome addition: ticks. Ticks are a problem in many areas of the United States and can be a serious public health issue. Knowing how to protect you, your kids, and your pets from these parasites can help you enjoy your autumn months much more.  

In this article, we have laid out how you can protect your family from ticks. By taking some extra precautions, you can be sure that everyone enjoys the fall season and without worrying about dealing with these pests.  

Protect Your Kids 

One of the best ways to protect your kids and yourself from ticks in the fall is to dress appropriately. Ticks can only latch onto bare skin. If you have long sleeves and pants, you don’t have to worry about them getting onto your arms or legs. Tucking your kids’ pant legs into their socks can be a great way to ensure that no ticks get in between the gap on a long hike. Light clothing is also highly recommended if they are going to be walking in an area that could be a habitat for ticks. It is much easier to see insects if they get on light clothes, and the kids won’t accidentally bring them into the house.  

You can also use a natural insect repellent like citronella or peppermint. These essential oils are a great way to keep ticks and other pests away when on a hike. Before anyone comes back into the house, though, always make sure that you do a thorough tick check all over their body to ensure that they are clear.  

Protect Your Pets 

Pets provide a perfect environment for ticks. They have long fur that is easy to hide in and it’s a lot harder to control where they go. Dogs and cats will often walk through tall grass, which is where ticks like to live and hide. This makes them much more likely to pick up one of these parasites. One way to protect your pet from ticks is to keep them away from tall grass, weeds, and any overgrown shrubbery. If they do happen to wander into such areas, check them thoroughly for ticks using a pet comb. Also, perform a close visual inspection before bringing them into the house. 

Check your pets starting at their head. Then, move down their body combing through their fur with your fingers. If you see a tick and it has latched on, don’t try to pull it out right away with your fingers. Use a pair of tweezers and grab it by the body, making sure to completely remove it. Then, place the tick in rubbing alcohol to make sure it is dead.  

Related Topic: How to Reduce Bugs in Your Yard After Heavy Rain 

Protect Your Yard 

You can safeguard your yard from ticks by preparing it in a few different ways. Ticks like to hide in woodpiles, so keep any firewood stock away from areas where pets or kids play. Ticks also live on deer, so if you have deer in your area, it’s a good idea to plant deer-resistant flowers like snapdragons and marigolds.  

Other ways to protect your yard from ticks include keeping your grass mowed and trimmed and removing any fallen leaves from the yard. Being generally wary of any thick vegetation in the fall is a good rule of thumb, and if you keep your kids and pets away from it, they will have a much better chance of staying tick-free throughout the season.  

Get Professional Tick Prevention 

Following all the steps above is a great start to protecting your family from ticks and the diseases they can potentially carry. The final step to tick prevention is professional help from Mosquito Joe. Our technicians can set up barriers that target shrubbery and other vegetation in your yard and keep these nasty pests away from your kids and pets.  

After spending a lovely day outdoors, you do a post-hike tick check and discover that one of these critters indeed came home with you. Eek! Your mind races. Do you know how to remove a tick properly? The bite from a tiny tick can have outsized consequences on the host. But staying calm is essential.

Carefully remove the tick, save it for later examination, and search for others on yourself and your companions. You know that ticks carry Lyme Disease. But do all ticks carry Lyme disease? It’s important to learn about Lyme disease symptoms to know if and when you should contact your healthcare provider. We’ll explore the connections between tick bites and Lyme disease to minimize confusion and clear up common misconceptions.

Tick Species and Lyme Disease

Let’s get straight to the point: Do all ticks carry Lyme disease? No, they don’t. There are about 850 tick species worldwide, with 90 species active in the United States. Only the infected ticks of two species spread Lyme disease. One is the blacklegged tick, also known as the deer tick (lxodes scapularis). The other is the western blacklegged tick (lxodes pacificus).

So, do all deer ticks carry Lyme disease? And do all western blacklegged ticks carry Lyme disease? The answer is no. Depending on the location, less than 1% to more than 50% of this species of ticks may be infected.

However, since Lyme disease symptoms can be so severe, staying alert is crucial. Not all ticks carry Lyme disease, but the risks posed by those that do are significant, so it’s best to be cautious.

When checking for deer ticks and western blacklegged ticks, note that both are small, have flat, oval bodies, and are usually reddish brown or orange brown with dark legs. However, their color and size change throughout different points of the tick life cycle. The western blacklegged ticks may have a slightly more oval shape but are mostly identified according to the location where they are found. Their U.S. presence is most dominant in the Pacific Coast states (California, Oregon, and Washington), but they have also appeared in some neighboring western states.

Deer ticks can be found throughout the eastern United States, but Lyme disease is most prevalent in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, New York, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Minnesota, Maryland, Virginia, New Hampshire, Delaware, and Maine.

As for other species of ticks, it’s important to watch out for them too, because while all ticks do not carry Lyme disease, they can pose other dangers. In fact, there are many diseases that can be transmitted via tick bites.

These blood-feeding insects thrive throughout the United States and are always searching for a host. And both humans and animals—especially white-tailed deer and chipmunks—make for a tasty meal. Ticks like to live in wooded areas, grassy environments, and, unfortunately, your yard.

Understanding the Basics of Lyme Disease

A dangerous bacterium scientifically dubbed Borrelia burgdorferi causes Lyme disease in humans. You can only get this disease from ticks, and luckily, there’s no evidence that Lyme disease is contagious among humans.

There is a wide range of Lyme disease symptoms ranging from mild to severe. Infected persons often experience fever, aches, fatigue, and headaches. Problems with the heart, joints, and nervous systems are also common. In very rare cases, a person may die from Lyme disease. Treatment is typically a 10-to-21-day course of antibiotics that is most effective when taken as soon as possible. But even after taking antibiotics, some patients experience lifelong Lyme disease symptoms.

A bullseye-shaped rash may appear around the bite site after someone has been infected with Lyme disease. If you see this telltale sign, visit a doctor immediately.

Tick Life Stages and Infection Rates

Let’s explore the four stages of the tick life cycle to learn when the biters become infected with Lyme disease and when they can transmit it to people and pets.

• Tick Egg: Tick eggs do not carry Lyme disease. But a single adult tick can lay thousands of eggs.
• Tick Larva: Once the larval ticks hatch, they seek their first blood meal. If that host is infected with Lyme disease, the tick becomes a Lyme disease vector. White-footed mice are common hosts for tick larvae.
• Tick Nymph: Nymphs become more active, feeding on multiple hosts. If they are infected with Lyme disease or additional pathogens, they will pass them to their hosts.
• Tick Adult: Adult ticks and nymphs are happy to feed on humans, domestic pets, and other animals, infecting them with Lyme disease and other pathogens. Lyme disease transmission typically requires attachment lasting 18 to 24 hours or more. This is why prompt removal is critical to reduce the risk of exposure.

The complex tick life cycle can take up to three years to complete.

Risk of Contracting Lyme After a Bite

Being bitten by an infected tick doesn’t always cause Lyme disease if you remove the tick promptly. But it’s important to monitor the site for any reaction and stay on the lookout for Lyme disease symptoms. These can appear a few days or even several weeks after a bite. Early antibiotic treatment is vital for a fast recovery from Lyme disease, so see a doctor at the first indication of Lyme.

Some Risk Factors for Lyme disease:

Risk factors for contracting Lyme disease include:

• Living in a heavily wooded area
• Exposing a lot of skin while outdoors
• Working an outdoor job
• Having a tick attached to your skin for more than 36 hours

While not all tick species carry Lyme disease, many varieties do sometimes carry other diseases. After removing any tick from your body, watch for any signs of sickness. Again, not every tick will transmit disease, but any tick bite has the potential. So, it’s best to treat every tick bite with caution.

Preventing Tick Bites and Lyme Disease

The best way to prevent tick bites is to avoid their habitat. When you do wander outdoors, cover as much skin as possible. You should also keep your lawn manicured and remove any excess brush and fallen tree limbs. Always thoroughly examine yourself, your family, and your pets for ticks after each outdoor venture. Especially when traveling through preferred tick habitats: heavily wooded areas and areas with tall grass. Protect your property and consider using pesticide treatments to combat ticks.

The threat of ticks can be unsettling, but you don’t have to face it alone. Your local Mosquito Joe® provides exceptional outdoor pest control to help you enjoy the outdoors again.

Contact Mosquito Joe® for Effective Tick Control

So, now you know the answer to the question, “Do all ticks carry Lyme disease?” You probably have more questions.We have much more information to share, so check out our other articles in the Mosquito Joe blog! And contact your local Mosquito Joe today to request a free quote for tick control treatment and other pest management services.

Our professionals arrive in a marked van, on time, dressed in uniform. They are fully equipped with the best tools and training to control tick infestations and other pest problems. The Neighborly Done Right Promise™ backed by the Mosquito Joe Guarantee ensures your satisfaction with our work.

Everyone and their Great Aunt Edith seem to have friendly advice on how to remove a tick. The trick is knowing how to sort the myths from the facts—getting tick removal wrong could be dangerous. For example, burning a tick with a match and painting over it with nail polish are not safe ways to remove ticks (no matter what Aunt Edith says). Methods such as these can increase the risk of contracting Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever. So, let’s take a look at how to remove a tick the right way.

The Importance of Using Safe Tick Removal Techniques

The proper way to remove a tick is unlike removing any other type of insect from the body. While you can simply brush away most bugs, a tick attaches to the body, bites the skin, inserts a barbed feeding tube, and begins drinking blood. Ticks differ from most biting bugs in that they burrow into the skin and remain attached to the body even after biting. Because many ticks carry diseases, they can pass these diseases to their human host while attached.

Certain unsafe removal methods can cause the tick to salivate and regurgitate into the bite site, which may increase the risk of disease transmission. This is just one reason why it’s essential to learn how to remove a tick safely.

What Are the Incorrect Tick Removal Methods?

As noted, removing a tick improperly can be even more damaging than leaving the tick to disengage on its own. In addition, it can increase your chance of contracting a tick-borne disease and infection. The following methods are NOT the proper way to remove a tick:

• Applying heat to the tick’ body with a hot nail or match.
• Covering the tick with petroleum jelly, alcohol, nail polish, or gasoline.
• Killing the tick while it’s still attached to the skin.
• Crushing, squeezing, twisting, or puncturing the tick.
• Handling the tick body with bare hands.

Now, let’s review how to remove a tick safely.

Proper Tick Removal Methods

While you may be eager to remove a tick from your body or your child’s body as quickly as possible, it’s important to have the right supplies on hand first. Here’s what you’ll need:

• Pointy tweezers – Choose tweezers with a pointed tip, not square. Your typical eyebrow tweezers likely aren’t pointy enough and might tear the tick’s body.
• Rubbing alcohol or soap and water – You will use this to clean the site thoroughly once the tick is removed.

Once you have these items ready to go, take the following steps to remove a tick safely to minimize the risk of infection:

• Clean the area surrounding the tick bite with rubbing alcohol or soap and water.
• Take your pointed tweezers and place the point down into the skin so you can grasp the insect as closely as possible to the tick’s head.
• Use slow, firm motion and apply steady pressure to pull the tick straight up and out of the skin—avoid jerking or twisting. If the tick breaks, make sure to go back to the bite site to remove the remaining head. If you are unable to remove the head, seek medical attention.
• Once removed, avoid handling the tick with bare hands. Use the tweezers to place the tick’s body into a container with a blade of grass if you wish to keep it alive to send away for testing. Or safely dispose of the tick by flushing it down the toilet.
• Use rubbing alcohol or soap and water to clean the bite area once again.

When you use this proper way to remove a tick, you can limit the damage caused by the bite. But remain alert to possible symptoms so you know if and when you should seek medical attention. 

Control Ticks and Other Pests with Mosquito Joe

You can never be too cautious about tick bites and preventing tick-borne illnesses. Now that you know how to remove a tick safely, you can take steps to enjoy outdoor fun free from these biters. Reach out to your local Mosquito Joe for barrier treatments designed to eliminate ticks, fleas, and mosquitoes. Call us at 1-855-275-2563 or contact us online to schedule professional tick control services. We’re making the outdoors fun again!

How do ticks transmit disease?

Because ticks drink the blood of their hosts, either human or animal, they can pick up any disease their host is infected with. The tick then transmits the disease through its saliva. When the tick bites, a small amount of saliva enters the new host’s skin. 

However, improper tick removal methods can stimulate the tick to salivate more heavily into the wound, increasing the transmission of pathogens. This is one reason it is essential to learn how to remove a tick safely. 

Do tick bites itch or hurt?

Typically, tick bites do not itch or even hurt. You are unlikely to even feel a tick bite, making regular checks for ticks essential. If you find a tick on you, a family member, or a pet, be sure you know how to remove a tick safely so you can limit the potential transmission of disease and infection.

How to check for ticks?

It’s critical to check for ticks thoroughly after returning indoors. Spotting ticks early can help reduce the risk of disease. Once a tick attaches to the skin of its host, the potential for transmission of a tick-borne disease increases significantly after 24 hours. Therefore a visual examination of your body and lightly skimming with your hands across your skin, especially in places you cannot see, is critical to early tick detection. 

A shower will wash off any crawling ticks. This is also a good time to search for ticks with your hands. Pay particular attention to underarms, behind ears and knees, under hair and on the scalp, inside the belly button, around the waist, and groin area. If you find an embedded tick on you or your pet, use the proper way to remove a tick, and discard it safely.

What are tick bite symptoms?

Several different tick-borne diseases have similar symptoms, like fever, chills, aches, pains, and a rash. If you get bitten by a tick, be sure to remove the tick safely and, if possible, save the specimen for examination should you, a loved one, or a pet develop any symptoms. If you do develop symptoms within a few weeks, seek medical attention and submit the tick you removed for testing.

For reference, a Lyme disease rash has a characteristic bull’s eye appearance. The bite location will be red and slightly swollen, with the area around it clear and surrounded by a ring of reddened skin.

Contact Mosquito Joe for Tick Control Services Near You

You can never be too cautious about tick bites and preventing tick-borne illnesses. While it’s great to know how to remove a tick safely, it’s so much better to prevent tick bites! So, add an extra layer of protection to your outdoor fun with Mosquito Joe’s tick barrier treatments. We can will help to protect your family and property from ticks and a variety of biters, including mosquitoes, fleas, and gnats.

You know your tick control service will be done right and on time because Mosquito Joe is a Neighborly company. Our services are backed by the Neighborly Done Right Promise and the Mosquito Joe® Satisfaction Guarantee!

Contact Us

Secure your patio and property for bite-free fun! Just reach out to your local Mosquito Joe for barrier treatments to eliminate and prevent ticks.

Call us at 1-855-275-2563 or contact us online to schedule professional tick control services.

A walk in the woods can be a pleasant reprieve but can also invite some unwanted hitchhikers. Ticks can latch onto exposed skin, move from clothing onto the skin, and even tag a ride on your four-legged friends. Ticks can also be transmitters of illnesses such as Lyme disease.

Don’t let these pests prevent you and your family from enjoying the outdoors!

Taking the necessary measures is important for those living in areas with significant tick populations and the presence of tick-borne diseases. Learn how to prevent ticks and reclaim your outdoor exploration with these tick prevention tips from Mosquito Joe.

How to Prevent Tick Bites

Don’t let ticks put a damper on your outdoor plans! By following proper precautions to prevent and repel ticks you can enjoy your favorite outside activities tick- and care-free.

Here are our best tips for how to prevent tick bites:
Use Tick Repellent

• Employing an insect repellent is a great preventative step toward both ticks and mosquitoes. Apply a trusted repellent topically and on clothing to prevent mosquito bites and keep ticks off your body. Be sure the repellent you’re using is effective on ticks, as many repellents are mosquito specific.

Go Lightly

• Mix one tablespoon of baking soda with enough water to form a paste. Apply to the bite and then wash off the mixture after 10 minutes.

Cool it Down

• Wearing pants and long-sleeve shirts reduces the amount of exposed skin. This provides less area for a tick to latch onto, and decreases your chances of bringing one home. Opting for light-colored clothing helps you more easily spot any tick stowaways before heading back inside.

Tuck It

• Tucking pant legs into socks creates a seamless length of protection down to your feet to prevent exposed ankles or from having ticks climb up open pant legs. Plus, it’s the most stylish look around for enjoying the outdoors in areas with ticks!

Down the Middle

• When you’re out for a hike, consider walking down the middle of the hiking trail rather than the edges. This practice lowers your exposure to tall grasses, where ticks are often lurking and waiting for the perfect host to pass by. Challenge your kids to a fun game of staying away from the edges of the trail as a way to encourage this behavior from them too!

Pat Down

• Upon completing your outdoor excursion, check yourself, your family, and your pets for ticks. For humans, start from the head down, checking hair, ears, underarms, waist, thighs, and inner knee. For furry friends, start at the snout, check ears, around collars, under legs, and under their tail.

Go Pro

• If you’re looking to take a more proactive step to keep ticks at bay while in your own yard, Mosquito Joe can help. For tick prevention close to home, developing a management plan, or having your yard professionally treated is the way to go.

Take back your yard and let the whole family spend time outside without worry. Get in touch with the professionals at Mosquito Joe today to learn more about your options. Give us a call at 1-855-275-2563 or request a quote online.

Romping through the fields, roaming the woods, barreling through the bushes, your pup is an explorer! But all that running through the tall grass can attract some unwanted passengers—ticks!

It’s important to check your dog and other outdoor-going pets for ticks on a regular basis. But what is the most thorough way to search for these pesky parasites?
Let the insect experts at Mosquito Joe offer some tips on how to check your dog for ticks!

When to Check Dog for Ticks

How often you check your dog for ticks can change depending on where you live, how present ticks are in the environments you frequent, and how often you’re outside with your pet.

Tall grass, woods, and fields can all be breeding grounds for ticks and likely places for them to hitch a ride on your hound. If you live in an area with a significant tick population, your dog should be checked daily. If ticks are less present where you spend time day to day, focus on checking your dog after hikes or time spent where ticks could be present.

How to Check Dog for Ticks

Ticks can be found in your dog’s fur before they have attached themselves or may feel like a small bump on the skin once they’ve bitten the dog. The best method for checking for ticks is carefully combing through your dogs’ fur and feeling the skin for bumps.
Keep your furry friend fiend-free by following these steps for how to check your dog for ticks …

Head start

Begin at the snout of your dog and, using your fingers like a comb, run your hands over the head and around the neck. Pay special attention to the ears and around the collar.

Body work

Make a thorough search of your pet’s entire body, combing with your fingers. If your dog has thick or extra shaggy fur, take the time to really comb through his or her coat.

Nooks and crannies

Be sure to evaluate any dark or hard-to-reach areas. Check the groin, under the front legs (armpits), under the tail, and in the ears.

Bug be gone

If you do happen across a tick on your dog’s skin, resist the urge to immediately pull it out. Use tweezers or a tick removal tool and pull it out slow and gradually. Place the tick in rubbing alcohol to kill it.

Kick the Ticks

The best way to keep pests at bay is to be proactive! Check your dog for ticks, especially after being outdoors and be thorough in your search and give your dog a leg up by using flea and tick medication to help repel parasites.

Finally, making your space tick-free can be the ultimate pest preventative! Call Mosquito Joe today at 1-855-275-2563 or request a quote online to make your backyard tick-free and your pets carefree!