While ticks feast on humans and animals, nature has its own set of predators to keep them in check. Let’s take a look at which tick predators can help manage the tick population and how they can work to keep your home and family bite-free.
What Do Ticks Look Like and How To Identify Them
Before you can combat ticks, you need to know what you’re looking for. Adult ticks are flat, oval-shaped, and about the shape of an apple seed. Their bellies will grow round when they feed. But adult ticks aren’t the only types of ticks to worry about!
Seed ticks, or ticks in the larva stage, can also cause health issues in humans and pets. These tiny ticks are small, about the size of a poppy seed, and only have six legs instead of eight.
Some common ticks to look out for include:
- Blacklegged tick (also known as the deer tick): smaller than the others and more red in color
- American Dog Tick: bigger and recognizable by the white markings on its back
- Lone Star Tick: brown with a single white dot on its back
These ticks are known to carry dangerous diseases such as Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Tularemia, Ehrlichiosis, and alpha-gal syndrome, which can make you allergic to red meat.
If you notice ticks in your backyard, especially the three species mentioned above, it’s time to develop a plan to kick them out! For some people, this means increasing their reliance on tick predators and other animals as a part of their tick control strategy.
Common Animals That Eat Ticks
So, what animal eats ticks? There are quite a few! Spotting them on your property can help prevent potential tick infestations in your hard. Some of the most common animals and insects that eat ticks include:
- Frogs
- Lizards
- Chickens
- Squirrels
- Opossums
- Guineafowl
- Wild turkeys
- Ants and fire ants
Although not all of them will make great house pets, they are all great tick predators! Encouraging wildlife and what eats ticks to make their home on your property or in your garden can help reduce the likelihood of tick infestations.
Make your yard a welcoming home for opossums, if you’re looking for the best tick predator. These nocturnal marsupials love to add ticks to their diet and will often eat more than 90% of the ones they encounter!
If you notice an opossum or two in your yard, let it live. As it turns out, they look a lot scarier than they are… unless you’re a tick! A typical opossum will eat up to 5,000 ticks per season! Talk about an eco-friendly way to control tick season!
Why Professional Tick Control Is Essential
Should becoming a chicken farmer not sound like a great plan and you’re having a hard time finding an opossum neighbor, consider calling in another type of professional to reduce your tick population.
Your local Mosquito Joe® can help you make your property more comfortable for you and your family and less comfortable for those unwanted pests like ticks, mosquitoes, and other nasty insects!
Our Mosquito Joe services are customized to fit your property’s unique needs. Whether you want to take a traditional pest control route, are interested in exploring eco-friendly solutions, or want to pair what eats ticks with traditional tick control methods, our experts can design a comprehensive plan that works for you!
Plus, for added convenience and peace of mind, all of our services are backed by the Neighborly Done Right Promise™️ and the Mosquito Joe Satisfaction Guarantee. We’re so sure that you’ll love our work that we back it up twice!
You don’t have to fall victim to itchy and dangerous bug bites anymore. Mosquito Joe is here to help! Love your outside space again. Request a free estimate today!
This article is intended for general informational purposes only and may not be applicable to every situation. You are responsible for determining the proper course of action for your home and property. Mosquito Joe is not responsible for any damages that occur as a result of this blog content or your actions. For the most accurate guidance, contact your local Mosquito Joe location for a comprehensive, on-site assessment.
