Have you noticed more ticks around your trees and wooded spaces? That’s because trees and ticks have a very special relationship. Let’s take a look at why your beautiful landscaping could be attracting more ticks than you might think!
Understanding the Connection Between Trees and Tick Populations
So, do trees attract ticks? Long story short, yes! They definitely do.
Learning how to combat the tick population in your backyard starts with understanding why ticks thrive in heavily wooded areas and what landscaping habits you can change to reduce their ability to thrive in your yard.
How Trees and Wooded Areas Attract Ticks
Trees and wooded areas are prime locations for ticks to live, breed, and thrive. Trees provide a leaf canopy that keeps the ground moist and shaded, which ticks love. These cool, moist environments also provide a home for wild mammals such as squirrels, rabbits, and deer, which are excellent hosts for ticks looking for a snack!
Common Tick Habitats and Behaviors
Ticks can’t fly or jump, so they rely on a behavior known as “questing” to find their hosts. This means host animals brush against the tick and the tick grabs onto them. In order for ticks to be able to grab on to their new hosts, the tick habitat needs to be low enough to the ground to stay shaded and moist but high enough so that ticks can easily latch onto a passing host. Enter high grasses, shrubs, leaf litter, and trees. This type of landscaping helps ticks get what they need from the earth while keeping them high enough off the ground to attach to a host.
Risks of Ticks Near Trees and Wooded Areas
As you research tick control solutions for your property, learning how you can enjoy this type of landscaping while still protecting your friends and family from tick bites is a winning combination.
Tick-Borne Diseases and Health Concerns
Tick bites aren’t just annoying. They can also cause several health problems in humans and their beloved pets.
While Lyme disease is the most prevalent tick-borne illness, ticks have also been linked to Rocky Mountain spotted fever, anaplasmosis, and babesiosis. It doesn’t matter what type of illness you contract from a tick. They all lead to long-term health complications if not treated properly!
Prevention is the best way to avoid contracting any of these illnesses, so it’s important to be proactive and invest in tick prevention near trees, high grasses, and other tick habitats.
Effective Ways to Prevent Ticks Around Trees
You don’t have to live in fear of a tick bite — or cut down all your trees! There are plenty of easy ways to be proactive and tell ticks that your yard is not their home.
Tree Maintenance Tips for Reducing Ticks
There’s something special about a yard full of gorgeous, mature trees. However, certain tree care practices can unintentionally create environments where ticks thrive. Keep the tick population under control without losing your shade by following this tick control checklist to keep your property bite-free:
- Remove low-hanging branches. They give ticks the perfect resting place while waiting for a host to walk by.
- Ensure the area around your trees has proper drainage. Without adequate drainage, moisture can get trapped, providing ticks with a great breeding ground.
- Think twice about planting trees with dense canopy foliage, such as hickory or oak. While they may look beautiful, they create shady, moist areas perfect for ticks.
- Surround your trees and wooded areas with plants that produce scents known to repel ticks, such as lemongrass, mint, and rosemary. Marigolds are another option for pretty flowers that produce a tick-repelling scent.
Tick Repellents for Yard and Property
In addition to keeping your yard clean and well-maintained, you can use various repellent options to protect yourself and your family from ticks. A few variations include:
- Essential oils: Scents like cedarwood, lavender, eucalyptus, and peppermint naturally repel ticks. Mix a few drops with water and spray around your yard, focusing on areas where ticks may hide, like tall grass and wooded edges.
- Diatomaceous Earth: Sprinkle food-grade diatomaceous earth around the perimeter of your yard and in areas prone to tick activity. It’s safe for humans and pets but lethal to ticks.
- Permethrin Sprays: Use permethrin-based sprays designed for yard use to create a barrier that kills ticks on contact. Focus on areas where ticks are likely to thrive, such as shady spots and brush piles.
- Tick Tubes: These biodegradable tubes are filled with cotton treated with permethrin. Mice, which are common tick hosts, collect the cotton for their nests. This kills ticks on the mice without harming the animals.
Turn to Mosquito Joe for Professional Tick Treatment
Feel like tick prevention near trees is a job for the pros? Call on Mosquito Joe® to help! Our knowledgeable outdoor tick exterminators will develop a customized plan for your property to keep ticks at bay. We can’t wait for you to enjoy your backyard again.
We’re so sure that we’ll be satisfied that we back all of our services with the Neighborly Done Right Promise™ and the Mosquito Joe Satisfaction Guarantee. Contact your local Mosquito Joe for a free estimate today!
This article is intended for general guidance only and may not be applicable to every situation. You are responsible for determining the proper course of action for your property and your situation. Mosquito Joe is not responsible for any damages that occur as a result of any advice or guidance derived from blog content. For the most accurate guidance, contact an independently owned and operated Mosquito Joe for more information and a professional on-site assessment.
