Everything to Know About Ticks
Of all the pests you can find in your landscape, ticks are among the worst. Not all of these arachnids are dangerous, but certain types carry deadly diseases, like Lyme disease. You could contract one of these diseases if a tick bites you, so ticks are considered a major problem. Ticks can thrive in several parts of your landscape, so it is crucial that you deal with them if you plan to invite guests over frequently.
If you plan to do some tick control, here is some information you should know about dealing with these pests.
Ticks Are Worst in Summer, But Can Thrive in Winter
Ticks can live through just about any season, but they are usually at their worst during the summer. Summer is known for being warm and humid, and ticks thrive in wet conditions. Most tick control procedures are handled just before the summer starts, so homeowners can prevent ticks from breeding during their favorite season. Wildlife becomes more active in the summer too, so ticks can easily catch a ride on other animals to get around quickly.
Contrary to popular belief, the cold weather in winter does not immediately kill ticks off. Certain types of ticks, such as the deer tick, can shrug off the colder weather so long as the temperature stays above freezing. Keep your options open for tick control throughout the year, because these pests can pose problems at any time.
Where You Can Find Them
In order to prevent a tick outbreak, you first need to learn where they are commonly found. Ticks are commonly found in tall, grassy areas, as well as on large, overgrown plants and bushes. Other places they can be found include piles of leaves, wooded areas, and any other places that may attract small creatures they can latch onto.
Stone walls can also retain a fair amount of moisture, and since ticks love wet areas they can found there as well. Ticks can also be found near birdfeeders, since they are drawn to any places that attract local wildlife. If you brush up against any of these things, check yourself for ticks as soon as you go into the house.
Landscape Maintenance Can Deal With Ticks
As mentioned above, ticks can usually be found in tall patches of grass, piles of wood chips, and in overgrown shrubs. To cut a long story short, ticks might be drawn to your landscape if you are not taking care of it properly. Make sure you give your landscape proper maintenance so you can dissuade ticks from coming into your yard.
Mow your lawn often, and trim your bushes and shrubs so they are not allowed to overgrow. By doing this, ticks will have nowhere to hide, and it will be much harder for them to bite you without you knowing. In the case of mowing, you just might end up getting rid of a couple in the process.
How to Protect Yourself
Ticks can still linger regardless of your best efforts, so it is important to take some extra precautions to protect yourself. Lots of ticks hang around in tall grass, so tuck in the bottoms of your jeans to keep them from getting on your legs when you go outside. Though
ticks are not technically insects, insect repellant usually works on them, so keep an extra bottle around as a backup.
One issue is that a tick’s saliva has numbing properties, so you might not even know if one bites you. If you have been outside for a long period of time, be sure to check around your body to be on the safe side. Not all ticks that bite you will transfer diseases the first time, but if one manages to bite you it might come back to do it again.
If you find a tick on your skin you need to dispose of it as quickly as you can so it does not bother you anymore. When a tick latches onto your skin it gets a pretty strong grip, so be sure to have a tick removal tool on standby that you can use, like a pair of tweezers.