Tick season is essentially any time the temperature is 45 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. Ticks do not just burrow their heads into a host and drink their blood. They can also transmit diseases and illnesses. Ticks will feed on any mammal, including humans. However, it is your pets that can suffer the most. To help reduce tick encounters, Stewart Termite & Pest Control will share a few tick control and prevention tips.
Create a Tick Barrier & Repellent for Yard
The first step is to create a tick barrier. You will want to have a barrier between your yard and the tick zone. A barrier can be as simple as a three foot clearing surrounding your property of either wood chips or rock. In this three foot barrier you will want to remove all trees, shrubs, and bushes. This is to help keep ticks from crossing over. Ticks cannot jump like a flea or fly like mosquitoes. A tick must crawl onto their host. Ticks mostly access hosts by climbing up tall grass, bushes, shrubs and trees. As a host rubs against the vegetation, they will quickly climb aboard and seek the perfect site to feed on. To prevent ticks climbing on you, your kids and pets, it is recommended to keep grass and vegetation trimmed down. This will include mowing the lawns regularly. Whenever possible, low tree branches should be removed. Also when landscaping your yard, consider the types of plants you will have. When planting bushes, shrubs and flowering plants, keep them away from the primary areas where kids and dogs play.
Tick & Rodent Proof Wood Pile & More
For homeowners that store firewood, know that rodents that may be carrying ticks as they love to hide in firewood. Store firewood away from the home and in areas with a lot of foot traffic. For those who have a swing set, sand box, or have dog houses outside, make sure to have them far away from wooden areas. Ticks love dense wood areas. The closer you are to wooded areas, the bigger tick problem you will have. To help keep your pets and kids safer, keep their playhouse or swing set within the tick barrier or the outer edges of the property. The more distance between you and the tick zone, the safer you all will be.
Declutter Yard to Prevent Ticks
Additionally, you will want to keep patios, furniture covers, padding, and cushions stored in an air tight container. Old furnishings should be thrown away as they may be hiding ticks. You will want to keep the yard, deck, and patio as clean as possible. Ticks have been found in yard debris and clutter. Therefore, you will want to reduce any possible tick breeding or feed zone within your property.
Tick Control
After you have done everything you can do to prevent ticks, you can seek out a professional pest control service. A professional service can help identify possible tick zones and other tick treatments for your home and yards. They can also help provide tick control services to reduce ticks from invading your yard. As ticks pose such as major threat during the tick season, make sure to have routine tick control aids throughout the tick season. For tick control and other pest control services, contact Stewart Termite & Pest Control and schedule our services today.