As the temperatures rise, tick season is closing in, and preventing ticks becomes more of a concern.
Ticks and the diseases they carry threaten the health of your family and pets. It is important to understand how to protect your yard from ticks and what to do when you find them. As the temperatures rise, tick season is closing in, and preventing ticks becomes more of a concern all over the country. Here is some essential information about ticks and the potential harm they represent. Then we’ll dive into how to prevent ticks in your yard.
Why are Ticks Attracted to Your Yard?
Ticks like warm, moist environments. They are attracted to shade and places to hide. Tall grass and shrubs are a few of their favorite places to hide. Ticks are often picked up in wooded areas or patches of overgrown vegetation. They must stay attached to their hosts for several days to feed properly, meaning they travel wherever their host goes. Ticks can attach themselves to nearly any animal, making them a carrier. Wild animals include deer, opossums, raccoons, and squirrels. Ticks can also find their way onto your cat or dog and subsequently into your home and around your family, making you a potential host.
Tick activity increases in the warmer months, between April and September, but they are active year-round. If you want a headstart, get to work before temperatures rise.
Are Ticks Dangerous?
Ticks are parasitic pests, so they require a host to supply them with the blood they need to survive. They become dangerous when they pick up diseases during their feeding. For example, if a tick feeds on an infected animal and attaches itself to a human, it can transmit that disease to the host through infected saliva. Ticks can spread many serious, chronic, and sometimes fatal diseases, including:
- Lyme disease
- Anaplasmosis
- Rocky Mountain spotted fever
- Ehrlichiosis
- Southern tick-associated rash illness (STARI)
Create a Barrier
Did you know most ticks stay in the outer 9 feet of a lawn? You can discourage ticks from entering your property by creating a tick-free barrier. Clear all shrubs, tall grasses, and trees around your yard’s edge to prevent ticks. Create at least a three-foot-wide barrier around your property using wood chips, gravel, or yard spray. You can also put a barrier around your patio or play equipment.
Consider the layout of your property. Since ticks stay close to the perimeter, you should move all their potential hideouts closer to the center. Outdoor furniture and playground equipment are safer in the center of your lawn, preferably in the sun.
Grow Plants that Deter Ticks
Consider growing plants that are natural deterrents of ticks and other pests. While these plants can deter ticks, they will only keep them out of the immediate area, so use them in combination with other tick control methods. Some common plants you can use include:
- Lavender
- Garlic
- Sage
- Eucalyptus
- Mint
Invest in Professional Tick Control Services
It is best to leave pest control to the professionals. At On The Green Inc, we have the experience, knowledge, and tools needed to remove ticks from your property.
All lawns are susceptible to pests like ticks during the fall. Keep an eye out for ticks hiding in the grass or around your foundation. Check out our Flea, Ant, and Tick Control Services for more information on protecting your property.
On The Green, Inc. Lawn Care is Here for You!
On The Green, Inc. was established back in 1994. We started as a small business that served the local area. In the decades since, we’ve expanded tremendously. Incorporated in 1997, our brand has become renowned throughout the state of Maryland. Email us at [email protected], call us at 410-695-0444, and find us at our street address: 777 Annapolis Road, Gambrills, Maryland 21054. Grow with us on Facebook and Google!