As mounting evidence attests, ticks continue to evolve their ability to withstand cold temperatures, which now makes them a year-round problem. While this may tick off many outdoor enthusiasts who thought they could enjoy at least a few tick-free months, we have some advice that might ease your mind. Instead of being ticked off, let's explore how to keep ticks away and the best strategies to remove them if they do bite — any time of the year.
Tips and Strategies for Staying Tick-Free
Ticks are pretty simple creatures. Unfortunately, they dedicate most of their lives to hunting and feeding — and we’re on the menu!
Learning how to keep ticks away from you, your family and your pets comes down to a few simple approaches:
- Keep Away from Tick Country (when possible) – 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. If you do venture to these areas, see our ‘dress to avoid ticks’ suggestions below.
- Keep Ticks Away from Your Home and Property – Follow our tips for how to keep ticks away from your yard. Vigilance and consistency are two of the most important elements for success.
- Dress to Avoid Ticks – When you cannot avoid locations likely to harbor ticks, wear a hat or head covering, long sleeves, long pants, and socks, even when it’s warm. If the bottom of your pants is loose-fitting, tuck the bottom into your sock or use a rubber band to secure them. Bonus points for wearing light colors that make it easier to spot ticks that land on it. And use a spray-on tick repellent.
- Examine Yourself and Loved Ones – Ticks are persistent, determined creatures. Even if you take all the precautions mentioned, you must still examine yourself, family members, and pets when coming indoors from areas that may harbor ticks. You won't feel a tick bite, so remain vigilant.
While most successful tick strategies that focus on how to combat ticks rely on avoiding the tick, it’s also important to understand what makes a tick, tick. let’s dig a little deeper into these critters.
Know Your Enemy: Understanding Ticks and Their Habits
When it comes down to how to combat ticks, it’s important to understand their needs and weaknesses. Ticks generally thrive in damp wooded areas where tall grass, shrubs, and trees grow unchecked. They are attracted to the edges where woods meet lawns, where untamed land meets residential development. Ticks hide in leaf litter, ground covering plants, and wood piles where small mammals live.
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.
Ticks will climb grass stems and shrubs to the height of their preferred hosts. Then, they reach out with their front legs, waiting to attach to a passing animal. This hunting behavior is called “questing.” Questing ticks hunt for hosts by seeking body heat, carbon dioxide, and the smell of lactic acid in human and animal sweat.
Protect Yourself and Your Loved Ones from Tick-Borne Diseases
Now that you've learned all about the tick control methods and strategies available to you, it's time to call on the pros at Mosquito Joe to protect your home and property. Our regular tick-control services will eliminate ticks from your property, making it safe for family and pets to enjoy.
Mosquito Joe is a proud member of the Neighborly community of home service brands. This means all of our work is backed by the Neighborly Done Right Promise™ and our Mosquito Joe® Satisfaction Guarantee.. So, you can rest assured the job will get done right the first time.
To rid your property of biting ticks, request a free quote today. Let's make your outdoor spaces fun again!
