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How to Combat Ticks: What You Need To Know

Ticks are parasitic arachnids that carry bacteria and diseases that can infect humans and animals, causing serious health conditions. Learn how to keep ticks away to protect your home and know the signs of common tick diseases so you can seek prompt medical attention.

Common diseases caused by ticks include Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, southern tick-associated rash illness (STARI), and tularemia. Symptoms may include fever, chills, headaches, body aches and pains, and distinctive rashes like a bullseye rash. Signs that it’s time to seek medical care include:

  • Inability to remove the entire tick
  • A rash that keeps getting larger
  • Development of flu-like symptoms
  • Signs of infection at the bite site
  • The tick appeared to be a deer tick

Tick bites may be a medical emergency requiring immediate attention if they cause a severe headache, difficulty breathing, paralysis, or a racing or pounding heart.

Deer Tick on a plant outside near a child.
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Identifying Common Tick Species

Knowing the types of ticks that are common in your area can inform you about the risks of certain diseases. Common tick species include:

  • Deer ticks: Deer ticks are commonly called black-legged ticks. They’re found on large mammals like deer and cattle and present a high risk of carrying Lyme disease.
  • Lone star ticks: Lone star ticks range from tan to brown with round bodies. They are aggressive biters and can carry STARI.
  • Wood ticks: Wood ticks are also called American dog ticks. They are reddish-brown with wide, flat, and oval-shaped bodies. They can carry Rocky Mountain spotted fever and tularemia.
  • Winter ticks: Winter ticks, also called moose ticks, are typically brown and grayish. They have oval, elongated bodies and are different from other ticks because they don’t transmit diseases.
  • Brown dog tick: Brown dog ticks are usually reddish brown with flat, oval bodies, but their appearance can change when they are engorged. Dog ticks are mostly found on dogs and can transmit canine diseases.

As mounting evidence attests, ticks continue to evolve their ability to withstand cold temperatures, which has turned them into a year-round problem. No matter what season it is, be vigilant of these pests and their risks.

Effective Tick Prevention Strategies

Learning how to keep ticks away from your family and property so you can prevent tick bites involves understanding what ticks need. Here are some strategies to consider for how to prevent ticks:

Reduce Damp Areas

Ticks need a water source, and they thrive where humidity is high and soil remains damp. They are highly susceptible to drying out, so tick control methods include cutting back on excess irrigation and any leaks on your property. Another strategy is to dust a fine layer of diatomaceous earth (DE) over common tick resting sites. For instance, dust pet bedding, dog houses, kennels, dog runs, and a dry “moat” around the perimeter of your property with DE.

Keep Your Yard Tidy

Ticks generally thrive in damp wooded areas where tall grass, shrubs, and trees grow unchecked. They are attracted to untamed land and ticks will hide in leaf litter, ground-covering plants, and wood piles where small mammals live. Do your best to keep wood piles away from the home, remove leaf debris from around the house, create a wood chip and rock barrier, keep your grass mowed, keep your trees trimmed, and consider planting deer-resistant crops.

Recognize Ticks’ Hiding Places

Wooded areas, mountains, foothills, and untended brush make for excellent tick habitats. You may also find ticks on the shores of lakes, ponds, or at the beach. Ticks like to dwell in tall grass and wooded areas where the soil is moist or where there is a water source. Gardening, hiking, and hanging out in your yard are all scenarios where you, your family, and your pets could attract ticks. Ticks will climb grass stems and shrubs to the height of their preferred hosts to attach. Be wary of this behavior when outdoors to help avoid ticks.

Cover Your Body

Long sleeves, long pants, a hat, and socks tucked into boots will help create a barrier between a hungry tick and your skin. It takes a while for a tiny tick to make its way past your clothing — hopefully long enough for you to spot it and remove it. For even more protection, wear light colors and apply spray-on tick repellent to deter unwanted biters.

Use Extra Caution If You’re An Outdoor Enthusiast

Unfortunately, some of our favorite getaway locations, like hiking trails and campgrounds, are also highly attractive to ticks. When you’re adventuring in the great outdoors:

  • Use tick repellant formulated for your skin, like DEET.
  • Choose a campground that employs tick control methods.
  • Set up your tent in a dry, sunny clearing.
  • Clear away any piles of leaves, twigs, tall grass, or brush.
  • Sit on camp chairs rather than on stumps or on the ground.
  • Stick to well-tended paths, away from high grass and shrub brush.
  • Buy firewood instead of collecting it.
  • Place your worn clothes in a plastic bag and seal it.
  • Treat your dogs before your trip.
  • Check for ticks frequently, and pack your tweezers and alcohol.

Abide by the above tick control methods, and you can enjoy your camping, hiking, and fishing excursions to the fullest.

Utilize Professional Tick Barrier Treatments

Get professional barrier treatments from Mosquito Joe® for an added layer of defense. Regular tick control treatments will get rid of ticks and give you and your family some peace of mind.

Our Mosquito Joe services prioritize your comfort and personalized needs with service professionals who truly care.

Examine Yourself and Loved Ones

Ticks are persistent, and you may not feel their bite. After being outside, check yourself and your loved ones to ensure a tick isn’t on you and hasn’t bitten you. Ticks can be as tiny as the top of a pencil. They hide in warm places, making them difficult to find. Places to check include:

  • Under the arms
  • In and around the ears
  • Inside the belly button
  • Back of the knees
  • In and around the scalp and hair
  • Between the legs
  • Around the waist

You should also examine your gear to avoid transporting a tick or two indoors. Additionally, throw clothes in the dryer for 10 minutes on high heat to kill ticks. Finally, promptly showering when coming indoors helps wash off unattached ticks and decrease the chance of contracting a tick-borne disease.

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