How Long Can A Tick Live In A Car? Quick Answer

Ticks carry germs that can cause Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Use EPA-registered repellents to reduce the chance of being bitten by a tick.

In addition to using repellents, watch out for ticks and shower after being outdoors to reduce the risk of tick-borne illness. See a doctor if you have a tick bite followed by a fever or rash.

Ticks can cause serious illnesses

A tick bite can cause serious diseases such as:

Other diseases you can get from a tick in the United States include Colorado tick fever and Powassan virus infection.

What is that tick? CDC has pictures of the most common ticks that bite people.

Before you go outside

Know where to expect ticks. Ticks live in grassy, ​​bushy or wooded areas or even on animals. So when you spend time outside of camping, gardening, or hunting, you can come into close contact with ticks. Many people get ticks in their own garden or in the neighborhood. CDC’s Tick Bite Data Tracker can help you find out when people in your part of the country are at higher risk of being bitten by ticks.

Ticks live in grassy, ​​bushy or wooded areas or even on animals. So when you spend time outside of camping, gardening, or hunting, you can come into close contact with ticks. Many people get ticks in their own garden or in the neighborhood. CDC’s Tick Bite Data Tracker can help you find out when people in your part of the country are at higher risk of being bitten by ticks. Treat clothing and equipment with products containing permethrin. Permethrin can be used to treat boots, clothing and camping gear and will remain protective wash after wash.

. Permethrin can be used to treat boots, clothing and camping gear and will remain protective wash after wash. Use the external symbol of an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) registered insect repellent that contains DEET, picaridin, IR3535, lemon eucalyptus oil (OLE), para-menthanediol (PMD), or 2-undecanone. The EPO Search Tool’s helpful external icon can help you find the product that best suits your needs. Always follow the product instructions, especially for children. Do not use insect repellent on babies under 2 months old. Do not use products containing OLE or PMD on children under 3 years old.

EPA’s helpful search tool can help you find the product that best meets your needs. Always follow the product instructions, especially for children. If you work outdoors, see the NIOSH Workplace Tick-Borne Disease Safety and Health Topics for more protection information.

Check your body for ticks after entering the house.

After you come inside

Check your clothes for ticks. Ticks can attach themselves to clothing. Remove any ticks and wash or tumble dry clothes if damp. Dry clothes in a dryer on high heat for 10 minutes to kill ticks on dry clothes after you get indoors. If the clothes are damp, you may need to dry them longer. Use hot water when washing clothes for the first time. Cold and medium-warm water does not kill ticks effectively.

Remove any ticks and wash or tumble dry clothes if damp. Dry clothes in a dryer on high heat for 10 minutes to kill ticks on dry clothes after you get indoors. If the clothes are damp, you may need to dry them longer. Use hot water when washing clothes for the first time. Cold and medium-warm water does not kill ticks effectively. Check your body for ticks after being outdoors. Do a full-body check when coming from potentially tick-infested areas, even your backyard. Use a handheld or full-length mirror to see all parts of your body. Check yourself and your children for ticks after entering the house.

Use a handheld or full-length mirror to see all parts of your body. Check yourself and your children for ticks after entering the house. Shower soon after being outdoors. Showering within two hours of entering the home has been shown to reduce the risk of Lyme disease and potentially reduce the risk of other tick-borne diseases. Showering can help wash off ticks that aren’t attached, and it’s a good time to do a tick test.

To remove a tick, grasp it with tweezers as close to the skin as possible and pull straight out.

What to do if you find an attached tick?

Remove the attached tick as soon as you notice it. Use tweezers to grab the tick as close to the skin as possible and pull straight out. For more information on removing ticks, visit the tick removal page.

In the days and weeks after the bite, watch for signs of illness, such as a rash or fever. Your risk of contracting a tick-borne disease depends on many factors, including where you live, the type of tick that bit you, and how long the tick was attached. Be sure to see a doctor if you get sick, develop a rash, or have a fever after a tick bite.

Reduce ticks in your garden

Modify your landscape to create tick-proof zones. Similar steps can also help reduce other types of ticks in and around the garden. Remove leaves and tall grasses and brush around houses regularly. Place wood chips or gravel between lawns and wooded areas to keep ticks away from recreational areas. Keep play areas and play equipment away from shrubs, shrubs, and other vegetation.

Similar steps can also help reduce other types of ticks in and around the garden. Remove leaves and tall grasses and brush around houses regularly. Place wood chips or gravel between lawns and wooded areas to keep ticks away from recreational areas. Keep play areas and play equipment away from shrubs, shrubs, and other vegetation. Consider using a chemical control agent. Tick ​​control chemicals are effective for a homeowner, or they can be applied by a professional pest control expert.

Tick ​​control chemicals are effective for a homeowner, or they can be applied by a professional pest control expert. discourage deer. Remove plants that attract deer and put up physical barriers to deter deer from entering your yard and bringing black-legged ticks with them.

Prevent ticks on pets

Dogs are very susceptible to tick bites and tick-borne diseases. Vaccines aren’t available for most tick-borne diseases dogs can get, and they won’t stop dogs from bringing ticks into your home. For these reasons, it is important to use a tick repellent on your dog. Talk to your veterinarian about the best tick repellent product for your dog. For more animal and health information, visit Preventing Ticks on Your Pet.

Finding and removing ticks after an outdoor activity can ward off most infections. Show more photos

Ticks – the little vampires – are one of the most notorious pests to find a way into our homes. They are small arachnids that belong to the group of external parasites, also known as ectoparasites. Ticks survive by sucking blood from the host’s body. They use animals, birds and even humans as hosts. But these are guests that no landlord likes to serve. Tick ​​bites aren’t just irritating; they can also cause inflammation, relapsing fever, Lyme disease, and other ailments.

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video of the day

arrival

Ticks usually get into homes via a carrier. Carriers can be either humans or animals. They can even enter homes through clothing or sheets lying in infested areas. Once inside, they can wreak havoc. A tick can survive for about a year between blood meals, and a female will lay 5,000 or more eggs over the course of her lifetime.

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favorite areas

Beds, comforters, sheets, and other bed-related items are hiding places and resting places for ticks. Ticks prefer these areas as they provide easy access to the human host. They can easily cling to the body and hair of beds. Wooden beds in particular are a paradise for ticks, as they can easily hide and lay eggs in the cracks.

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prevention

They say prevention is better than cure, and they say it with good reason. It’s far better to put in a little effort to avoid an infestation than trying to get rid of ticks when they’re already established. “Travelers should check their bodies and clothing for ticks after outdoor activities,” says Gary W. Brunette in Health Information for International. Travel.” Also, inspect your pets after outdoor walks to make sure no unwanted guests are entering the home with them.

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cure

Waiting for a tick infestation to go away on its own is not recommended. If ticks somehow snuck in, they won’t go away gently. Vacuuming around the area is the first step. Next, remove all comforters, sheets, pillows, and mattresses. Spray them with insecticides available on the market such as Permethrin Pro, Cyonara 9.7, Bifen It and Conquer. Then wash the clothes thoroughly to rid them of the chemicals. Cleaning a bed of ticks is a challenge due to the small cracks they provide shelter, but these can be regularly sprayed with pesticides such as Sevin (Carbaryl).

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Natural Remedies

Aside from chemical products, there are a few handy natural remedies that can also be used to get rid of ticks. Try packing sheets, pillows, and other items in sealed bags and putting them in the freezer. The extreme temperature will kill the ticks. In the summer, also lay your bed and bedding in the sun so that ticks die when it is very hot. Spray window sills and door jambs with citrus oil to keep ticks away.

Mislav Marohnić/Flickr Deer ticks. Get them before they get you.

It’s that time again. The ticks are back and ready to make their way to a blood meal from your succulent flesh. However, if you’re like me, you probably prefer to keep your blood to yourself — and avoid potential exposure to Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases.

And there’s a surefire way to kill any ticks that may have caught your clothes. Toss any potentially tick-bearing clothing items in the dryer and run it on high heat for 10 minutes.

It’s not the heat that’s killing them. It’s the dryness. Ticks need moisture to survive, and they quickly dry out and die in dry conditions — and a quick spin in the dryer is enough to crisp them to death. (Ticks can actually survive a hot water run through the washing machine.)

So whenever you’re out in tick country—hiking, gardening, or otherwise active in known tick areas—get undressed as soon as you get back inside, start a tick dryer death cycle, and examine yourself thoroughly in the process.

Of course, there are many other ways to protect yourself against ticks, including treating your clothing with permethrin, tucking pant legs into your socks, wearing light-colored clothing to make ticks easier to spot, and doing constant and regular check-ups yourself and your children , and your dog. A dryer spin is just another effective technique to add to your arsenal.

For more information on these and other techniques, as well as everything you always wanted to know about ticks, visit the TickEncounter Resource Center.

7 Facts About Deer Ticks You Need to Know Right Now

How to defend yourself against Lyme disease

Have you ever felt a faint tickling sensation on your arm and, without checking what it was, instinctively reached out to wipe it away? Your eyes follow your hand for a split second – and then it registers – OMG! It’s a tick! A deer tick! Panic ensues. your heart is racing What can I do?! How did it get me! Somebody help me!!!

If that’s not your experience, you’re either very lucky or have the serenity of a Zen master. In the last decade, the population of Tic

ks of all kinds have exploded in the United States. The number of ticks that transmit Lyme disease is on the rise in the mid-Atlantic states and has skyrocketed throughout the Northeast. Despite its tiny size, the deer tick, also known as the blackleg tick, bear tick, and Ixodes scapularic tick, has gained a reputation as a serious health problem in many areas of the nation.

As a Lyme disease survivor, I’ve learned to protect myself from these creepy crawlies because, unlike some other insect-borne infections, immunity is not earned; Despite all your suffering, you can always get it again. Knowing these important facts about a deer tick is your first line of defense.

Fact 1: Deer ticks are smaller than dog ticks.

Learn how to recognize and distinguish a deer tick from a dog tick.

Fact 2: Only adult females and nymphs can transmit infection through their bite.

Male ticks attach, but do not feed or become engorged. Adult females have red and tan bodies and are larger than males. Nymphs can actively feed between early April and early August.

Fact 3. Not all deer ticks are infected with the Lyme disease pathogen.

Only ticks that have fed on infected mammals (usually white-footed mice) become infected. About 50% of deer ticks are infected with Lyme disease.

Fact 4. Deer ticks are slow eaters.

Deer ticks live two to three years and typically enjoy three blood meals during that time. In the spring and summer of her second year, a nymph will have her second meal. They stick their mouthparts into the skin like a corkscrew, which gives them a nice, firm grip. They often take up to five days to complete their meal.

Fact 5. It takes 24-48 hours to transmit Lyme disease.

This fact is key to reducing the panic of finding an attached tick: An infected tick must remain attached to its host for at least 24 hours and up to 48 hours to transmit the disease. This is also why it’s important to check your body immediately after any possible exposure to a tick-infested environment.

Fact 6. Deer ticks don’t jump, hop, swim, or fly.

Deer ticks crawl. They typically grab people or animals that are brushing against plants near the ground, then crawl up to find a quiet place for their blood meal. Although many sources state that ticks don’t land on you from an overhanging branch, I have several friends who insist this has happened to them.

Fact 7. Ticks live in wooded, bushy areas that provide food and cover for mice, deer, and other mammals.

The ideal tick environment is moist. Their exposure is greatest along trails in the forests and fringes between forests and the border, where they patiently perch on tops of vegetation waiting for an unsuspecting host to pass by.

How to minimize your risk of Lyme disease

Life is too short to avoid nature in spring, summer and fall. In Vermont, that would be more than half the year! There is no need to be bold; Just be smart and follow these sensible guidelines and tips.

cover your body

Create a physical barrier between you and ticks. Wear long pants, a long-sleeved shirt, socks, and a wide-brimmed hat. For added protection, put ankle straps around your pant legs, the kind cyclists wear. Don’t you wear long pants and sleeves in summer? Wear repellent on exposed skin.

wear protection.

No matter how many layers of clothing you wear, you should still spray your ankles, boots, socks, hat, and cleavage with our safe and effective DEET-FREE Green Mountain tick repellent. It’s made right here in Vermont and developed by a skin care nurse. This all-natural blend of Rose Geranium, Lemongrass, and Cedarwood essential oils smells pleasant to humans, but is not at all attractive to ticks.

Check your body for ticks.

If you have a creepy crawly feeling on your body, check it out ASAP. Can’t see the area? Bite back your humility, accept that we are all human, and feel free to ask someone to look for you. Most likely, they will be happy to comply. Even if you haven’t felt a tick on your skin, check your body thoroughly every night before you go to bed. Ticks are known for being sly, slick operators that quickly find their way not into your heart, but private places as well.

Remove ticks immediately.

If you spot a deer tick on you, don’t panic. Although approximately 50% of deer ticks are infected with Lyme disease, the risk of contracting Lyme disease from an observed tick bite is less than 2 percent even in an area as the deer tick must feed for over 36 hours before transmitting the spirochete where the disease is prevalent.

Remove ticks properly.

No, don’t burn! And household tweezers are not a good idea; The ends are flat and too big to grab most ticks. Follow proper tick removal technique:

Use fine tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skin surface as possible.

Gently but firmly pull backwards with steady, even pressure. Do your best not to stutter or spin.

Do not crush, crush, or puncture the tick’s body; The fluids inside may contain infection-causing organisms.

After removing the tick, wash your skin and hands thoroughly with soap and water.

If any of the tick’s mouthparts remain in the skin, leave them alone; they will expel themselves. (This can take weeks!) Trying to remove these parts will only cause unnecessary pain and skin damage.

Shower soon after being outdoors.

Considering how small a deer tick can be, why not take a few extra minutes and make sure you haven’t picked up any unwanted cargo during your outdoor adventure? You’ll feel refreshed knowing you’ve washed away any potential laggards.

Throw clothes in the dryer.

In a typical barn environment, unfed deer ticks are unlikely to survive 24 hours. Because they like high humidity, ticks can survive for 2-3 days on damp clothes in a laundry basket. Ticks that have taken a blood meal can survive a little longer. If you know you’ve been in a tick-infested area before throwing your clothes in the hamper or washing machine, throw them in the dryer on high heat for 10 minutes. This will kill the little devils!

Afraid of an insect bite? Talk to your doctor.

It’s always a good idea to keep your doctor informed of any changes in your condition and of any questions or concerns you have about your well-being.

Ticks are a fact of life in most of the US. Don’t let that stop you from enjoying the great outdoors. Do what we do in Vermont: protect yourself and tell ’em to get out!

Tick ​​contact can occur year-round, but ticks are most active during the warmer months (April through September). Find out which ticks are most common in your area.

Before you go outside

Know where to expect ticks. Ticks live in grassy, ​​bushy or wooded areas or even on animals. Spending time outdoors, walking your dog, camping, gardening, or hunting can all come into close contact with ticks. Many people get ticks in their own garden or in the neighborhood.

Ticks live in grassy, ​​bushy or wooded areas or even on animals. Spending time outdoors, walking your dog, camping, gardening, or hunting can all come into close contact with ticks. Many people get ticks in their own garden or in the neighborhood. Treat clothing and equipment with products containing 0.5% permethrin. Permethrin can be used to treat boots, clothing and camping gear and will remain protected wash after wash. Alternatively, you can purchase clothing and gear treated with permethrin.

with products containing 0.5% permethrin. Permethrin can be used to treat boots, clothing and camping gear and will remain protected wash after wash. Alternatively, you can purchase clothing and gear treated with permethrin. Use an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-registered external insect repellent symbol that contains DEET, picaridin, IR3535, lemon eucalyptus oil (OLE), para-menthanediol (PMD), or 2-undecanone. The EPO Search Tool’s helpful external icon can help you find the product that best suits your needs. Always follow the product instructions. Do not use products containing OLE or PMD on children under 3 years old.

contains DEET, picaridin, IR3535, lemon eucalyptus oil (OLE), para-menthane diol (PMD) or 2-undecanone. EPA’s helpful search tool can help you find the product that best meets your needs. Always follow the product instructions. Do not use products containing OLE or PMD on children under 3 years old. Avoid contact with ticks. Avoid wooded and bushy areas with tall grass and fallen leaves. Walk in the middle of the trails.

After you come inside

Check your clothes for ticks. Ticks can be carried indoors with clothing. Any ticks found should be removed. Dry clothes in a dryer on high heat for 10 minutes to kill ticks on dry clothes after you get indoors. Additional time may be required if clothing is damp. If the clothes need to be washed first, hot water is recommended. Cold and medium-warm water does not kill ticks.

Examine equipment and pets. Ticks can ride into the home on clothing and pets and later attach themselves to a person, so examine pets, coats, and daypacks carefully.

Shower soon after being outdoors. Showering within two hours of entering the home has been shown to reduce the risk of Lyme disease and potentially reduce the risk of other tick-borne diseases. Showering can help wash off ticks that aren’t attached, and it’s a good time to do a tick test.

Check your body for ticks after being outdoors. Conduct a full body check upon returning from potentially tick-infested areas, including your own yard. Use a handheld or full-length mirror to see all parts of your body. Check these parts of your body and your child’s body for ticks:

Ticks: Just looking at them makes most people flinch.

Unfortunately, these tiny, blood-sucking pests are rampant in the US, and many species are more than happy to take up residence in your yard.

If you’ve found ticks on your property, getting rid of them is probably your top priority.

Not only are ticks unsettling to look at, but they also transmit a variety of diseases, including Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, tularemia, and more.

Did you know that almost 75% of Lyme disease cases can be traced back to tick bites in your own garden?

Luckily, there are effective ways to get rid of fleas and ticks without turning your yard into a war zone. Even better, many treatments that kill ticks also kill fleas, chiggers, and other backyard pests.

Here at Smith’s Pest Management, we offer tick control services to help homeowners in the San Francisco Bay Area get rid of ticks in their gardens. In this blog we share our tips and tricks.

Let’s dive in.

What are ticks?

While many people think ticks are insects, they’re actually arachnids — in the same family as scorpions, mites, and spiders. There are many different types of ticks in the United States, many of which transmit diseases.

Wondering how to spot ticks?

Different species of ticks can be gray, white, brown, black, reddish brown, or even yellow. Adults have flat, oval, wingless bodies.

When ticks eat a blood meal, their bodies swell and become round like a kernel of corn. While nymphs and adult ticks have eight legs, tick larvae only have six.

As larvae, ticks are about the size of a grain of sand. Ticks can bite people and animals at all stages of their life cycle.

Why is my garden full of ticks?

What causes ticks in the garden?

The answer is, it depends.

Deer can bring ticks into your yard, as can small rodents.

Once in your yard, ticks will find an ideal habitat to establish themselves. All tick species love darkness and moisture.

Their favorite hiding spots are areas that offer tall grass, damp dirt, and plenty of shade.

If your yard is mowed, ticks can still establish themselves in outdoor areas where they can find low-hanging shrubs or groundcover for shelter.

How do I know if my garden has ticks?

Many people assume they also have ticks because they have deer in their yard. However, there is no way to know if ticks are present unless you test them.

Luckily, there are a few easy ways to find out if you have ticks in your yard:

1. Drag tick

That’s how it’s done:

Take a light-colored sheet or towel and drag it across the yard.

Once you’ve pulled the sheet through the yard, take it to a grass-free area, such as a lawn. B. a driveway and carefully inspect for ticks. If you find ticks, place them in a sealed Ziploc bag and destroy them.

2. Check on your pets

Another way to identify ticks in your yard is to check on your pets after they come in. If you find ticks on your pets, there’s a good chance they’ll pick up the ticks in your yard.

To check pets for ticks, the CDC recommends running your fingers through their hair and using gentle pressure to check for bumps.

A tick feels like a hard, small mass.

3. Use a flashlight to spot ticks

You can also manually check the garden for ticks. Use a flashlight to examine the following areas for signs of ticks:

Along rock, brick or retaining walls.

In areas with dense or tall shrubs or grass.

In piles of garden waste, including piles of leaves and piles of firewood.

Places where your pets spend time, such as kennels or outdoor kennels.

In trees or landscape shrubs.

In areas where leaves or other organic debris have accumulated.

Get rid of ticks in the garden naturally: 3 home remedies

Nobody wants ticks in their garden, but how do you get rid of them? Fortunately, there are many effective natural home remedies that are safe for dogs and other pets and will deter ticks.

We recommend the following:

1. Use a cedar oil spray

One of our favorite natural tick repellents is cedar oil spray. Cedar oil is a natural, non-toxic and effective tick repellent. When you go hiking, you can spray it directly on your skin or clothes.

It is safe for use on humans and pets.

While you can purchase cedar oil tick spray at most home and garden stores, you can make your own by mixing 60 drops of cedarwood essential oil in a dark-colored spray bottle filled with water and 1 ounce of grain alcohol.

Shake the mixture well and spray anywhere you’ve noticed tick activity.

2. Use eucalyptus or neem oil

Both eucalyptus and neem oils kill ticks on contact.

To use these essential oils to get rid of ticks, mix 4 ounces of purified water in a spray bottle, along with 30 drops of your carrier oil of choice. Shake well and spray anywhere you want to kill ticks.

3. Use diatomaceous earth

What Naturally Kills Ticks in the Garden?

Diatomaceous Earth (DE) is a powder made from fossilized diatoms and is one of the most effective ways to get rid of pests organically.

While completely safe for children, pets, and humans, DE is dangerous to pests.

When ticks encounter DE, it immediately dehydrates them and kills them within hours.

To use DE as a tick killer, sprinkle it anywhere you’ve noticed ticks in your yard. You can also use it to create a barrier between wooded and grassy areas.

Reapply the DE every few weeks or after heavy rain.

3 effective traditional ways to get rid of ticks

If you want to go a little tougher on ticks, try these conventional options:

1. Use a smoke machine

If you want an option that kills ticks instantly, you can consider a garden fogger.

EPA-registered foggers kill fleas, flea eggs, ticks, lice, mites, and other pests. For best results, look for a fogger that contains an insecticide specially formulated for ticks, as this will work the fastest and most efficiently.

2. Use permethrin garden spray

When it comes to pesticides, one of the most effective at killing ticks is permethrin.

For best results, choose a permethrin insecticide spray that is safe to apply to the surfaces and plants you plan to attack. Read the product label carefully and be sure to wear protective clothing when applying.

3. Use acaricides

Acaricides are a family of tick-borne pesticides that the CDC says can reduce the number of ticks in your yard. While they won’t get rid of ticks on their own, they can be effective when combined with other tick control methods.

Because acaricides can be dangerous and highly toxic, we recommend working with a professional pest control company like Smith’s to apply the pesticides while protecting children, pets, and other animals in the process.

How Do Pest Control Experts Get Rid of Ticks?

When you hire a tick control expert, expect great results.

Here’s the process the Smith’s Pest Management team follows to get rid of ticks on large properties and small yards alike:

1. Tick control

When you contact Smith’s Pest Management, we’ll send a trained, certified pest control technician to conduct a thorough tick inspection.

We examine your property for signs of tick activity and work with you to determine where ticks may be coming from and why they are so attracted to your garden.

We will also sample areas around your home and property to identify the presence of other organisms that could act as hosts for ticks, such as: B. small rodents.

2nd treatment

Once we have completed our tick control, we begin our treatment plan.

Depending on the severity of your tick infestation, these treatments may include using backpack sprayers, liquid residue products, power sprayers, and more.

We apply a tailored mix of granular products, dust, aerosols and residual liquid products, making sure to focus on the exterior of your home and the span of your garden.

These treatments eliminate ticks on contact and help you reclaim your tick-free garden.

3. Post-treatments

Once we’ve completed your initial treatment, we’ll plan the follow-up treatments needed to keep your garden tick-free.

We schedule treatment according to your schedule and continue to monitor your property’s tick levels to ensure a pest-free outdoor area.

How to keep ticks out of your garden

It’s important to take preventive measures to keep ticks out of your yard and away from your pets and family. Here are the simple tricks we recommend”

1. Get rid of other pests

Pests like raccoons, rats, mice, squirrels and other rodents can introduce pests into your garden. In order to get rid of ticks, it is important to also address this underlying infestation.

Mark areas where you’ve seen mice or other pests and hire a pest control team like Smith’s to help you get rid of pests at the source.

2. Practice good garden hygiene

Ticks like to hide in dark, sheltered places like piles of wood, piles of leaves, and brushwood. With that in mind, follow these tips to make your yard uninhabitable for them:

Get rid of all garden debris. When raking leaves in the fall, avoid leaving piles lying around. Instead, pack them in leaf bags and dispose of them properly. If you burn firewood for heating, store it neatly in a dry place. This keeps rodents away and prevents them from carrying ticks into your garden. Finally, remove any old furniture, trash, or organic matter in your yard that might provide ticks with a hiding place.

When raking leaves in the fall, avoid leaving piles lying around. Instead, pack them in leaf bags and dispose of them properly. If you burn firewood for heating, store it neatly in a dry place. This keeps rodents away and prevents them from carrying ticks into your garden. Finally, remove any old furniture, trash, or organic matter in your yard that might provide ticks with a hiding place. Take care of your lawn. Trim your lawn regularly, remove tall grass or shrubs, and pick up any grass clippings promptly.

. Trim your lawn regularly, remove tall grass or shrubs, and pick up any grass clippings promptly. Create a barrier. Keep all play equipment, patios, and decks at least 8 feet from the edge of your lawn.

Keep all play equipment, patios, and decks at least 8 feet from the edge of your lawn. build fences. Use high fences to deter deer, raccoons, and stray dogs from entering your yard and bringing ticks with them.

3. Create a barrier

The CDC recommends keeping a 3-foot barrier of gravel or wood chips between wooded areas and statutes to make it difficult for ticks to migrate to recreational areas.

4. Plant tick-repellent landscape plants

Some landscape plants repel ticks. Garlic, sage, mint, lavender, rosemary, calendula, and beauty berry are some of the most effective tick repellent plants.

For best results, plant these strains in landscape borders, around pet decks and runs, around patios, and anywhere else you want to keep ticks away.

You can also place these strains in containers and place them near windows to deter ticks from entering your home.

Are ticks invading your San Francisco Bay Area yard? We are here to help!

When ticks take over your property, you don’t have to grin and put up with it. Here at Smith’s Pest Management, we help homeowners get rid of ticks on their property just like you do.

Contact us today to learn more about our tick control services or request your free quote now!

Being Tick-Free – A Guide to Lyme Disease Prevention

Lyme disease in upstate New York

The New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) and local health officials continue to investigate the spread of Lyme disease throughout upstate New York. Lyme disease is a bacterial infection caused by the bite of an infected deer tick. Left untreated, the disease can cause a range of health problems. Patients treated with antibiotics in the early stages of infection usually recover quickly and completely. Since Lyme disease was first reported in 1986, over 98,500 cases have been confirmed in New York State.

What is Lyme disease?

Lyme disease is caused by bacteria transmitted by the deer tick (Ixodes scapularis). Lyme disease can cause symptoms that affect a person’s skin, nervous system, heart, and/or joints. Over 98,500 cases have been reported to the New York State Department of Health since Lyme disease became notifiable in 1986.

Who Gets Lyme Disease?

Lyme disease can affect people of all ages. People who spend time in grassy and wooded environments are at an increased risk of exposure. You are more likely to be bitten by a deer tick during the times of the year when ticks are most active. Young deer ticks, called nymphs, are active from mid-May to mid-August and are about the size of poppy seeds. Adult ticks, which are about the size of sesame seeds, are most active from March to mid-May and from mid-August to November. Both nymphs and adults can transmit Lyme disease. Ticks can be active anytime the temperature is above freezing. Infected deer ticks can be found throughout upstate New York.

How is Lyme disease transmitted?

Not all deer ticks are infected with the bacteria that cause Lyme disease. Ticks can become infected when they feed on infected small animals. The disease can be spread when an infected tick bites a person and sticks to it for a period of time. In most cases, the tick must be attached for 36 hours or more before the bacteria can be transmitted. Lyme disease is not transmitted from one person to another. Transmission of the bacteria from an infected pregnant woman to the fetus is extremely rare.

What Are the Symptoms of Lyme Disease?

In 60-80 percent of cases, a rash resembling a porthole or solid patch about two inches in diameter appears and spreads around or near the bite site. Sometimes multiple websites appear with a rash. The early stages of Lyme disease are usually characterized by one or more of the following symptoms: chills and fever, headache, fatigue, stiff neck, muscle and/or joint pain, and swollen glands. If Lyme disease is not recognized or treated in the early stages, more severe symptoms can occur. As the disease progresses, you may experience severe fatigue, a stiff, painful neck, and tingling or numbness in your arms and legs, or facial paralysis. The most severe symptoms of Lyme disease may not appear until weeks, months, or years after the tick bite. These can include severe headaches, painful arthritis, swelling of the joints, and heart and central nervous system problems.

When do symptoms appear?

Early symptoms usually appear within three to 30 days of being bitten by an infected tick.

Does previous infection with Lyme disease make a person immune?

Lyme disease is a bacterial infection. Even with successful treatment, a person can become infected again if later bitten by another infected tick.

What is the treatment for Lyme disease?

Early treatment for Lyme disease involves antibiotics and almost always results in a complete cure. However, the chances of a full cure decrease if treatment is delayed.

What can I do to prevent Lyme disease?

Deer ticks live in shady, moist areas near the ground. They cling to tall grass, scrub, and shrubs, usually no more than 18-24 inches off the ground. They also live in meadows and gardens, especially at the edges of forests and around old stone walls. Deer ticks cannot jump or fly, and will not fall on passing people or animals. They only reach humans and animals through direct contact. Once a tick gets on the skin, it generally climbs up until it reaches a protected area.

In tick-infested areas, your best protection is to avoid contact with soil, foliage, and vegetation. However, if you garden, hike, camp, hunt, work, or otherwise spend time outdoors, you can still protect yourself:

Wear light-colored, tight-knit clothing for easy spotting of ticks.

Wear closed-toe shoes, long pants, and a long-sleeved shirt. Tuck pant legs into socks or boots and shirt into pants.

Frequently check clothing and exposed skin for ticks outdoors, and check again when inside.

Consider using insect repellent. Follow label directions.

Stay on cleared, well-traveled paths. Avoid contact with vegetation.

Avoid sitting directly on the ground or on stone walls.

Keep long hair tied back, especially when gardening.

tick life cycle

Life cycle of deer ticks

The deer tick goes through four life stages (egg, larva, nymph, adult) over a period of two years.

egg to larvae

The eggs are fertilized in the fall and laid in the leaf litter the following spring. They emerge as larvae in late summer of this year, looking for their first blood meal. The tiny larva crawls on the forest floor and low-lying vegetation to find a suitable host. Their first host is generally a mouse or other medium-sized mammal or bird. Once attached, the larvae embed their mouthparts and feed for several days. If the host is infected with a disease such as Lyme, the tick can become infected during this feeding. The larvae then deposit their host into the leaf litter, where they molt into the next instar, the nymph, and remain dormant until the following spring.

larva to nymph

In the spring and early summer of the next year, the nymphs end their dormancy and begin looking for a host. Nymphs are commonly found on the forest floor in leaf litter and on low-lying vegetation. Their host consists mainly of mice and other rodents, deer, birds and, unfortunately, humans. Most cases of Lyme disease are reported from May to August, which is the peak activity time for nymphs. This indicates that the majority of Lyme disease cases are transmitted by nymphal deer ticks. After feeding for several days, the nymph ticks drop to the forest floor.

nymph to adult

Over the next few months, the nymph molts into the larger adult tick, which hatches in the fall, with a peak in October to November. Both adult males and females will find and feed on a host, then the females will lay eggs at some point after feeding.

Adult ticks await hosts about a meter above the ground in the tops of grasses and shrubs. When an animal or person brushes against vegetation, they quickly let go and climb onto the host. Adult ticks feed on their host for five to seven days. The female becomes engorged with blood and provides food for her developing eggs. After feeding and mating, the female tick falls into the leaf litter where she lays thousands of eggs. It becomes inactive when the temperature falls below 40°F.

Tick ​​facts

Ticks can only crawl; they cannot fly or jump. Ticks found on the scalp have usually crawled there from the lower parts of the body. Some tick species crawl several meters towards a host. Ticks can be active on winter days when ground temperatures are above 45 degrees Fahrenheit.

There are two groups of ticks, sometimes referred to as “hard” ticks and “soft” ticks. Hard ticks, like the common dog tick and deer tick, have a hard shield just behind the mouthparts (sometimes incorrectly called the “head”); Unfed hard ticks have the shape of a flat seed. Soft ticks do not have a hard shield and are shaped like a small raisin. Soft ticks feed preferentially on birds or bats and are rarely encountered unless these animals are nesting or roosting in an occupied building.

The most common ticks in New York State are the deer tick, the American dog tick, and the lone star tick.

How to remove a tick

You will find a tick on you or your child!

What now?

No panic. Not all ticks are infected, and your risk of contracting Lyme disease is greatly reduced if the tick is removed within the first 36 hours of attachment.

Remove the tick in a timely and professional manner:

Grasp the tick with tweezers as close to the skin as possible.

Gently pull the tick in a steady upward motion.

Wash the area with a disinfectant.

When trying to remove the tick: DO NOT touch the tick with your bare hands. DO NOT press on the tick’s body as this may increase your risk of infection. DO NOT put alcohol, nail polish remover, or petroleum jelly on the tick. DO NOT place a hot match or hot cigarette on the tick to “pull” it out. DO NOT use your fingers to remove the tick.

These methods don’t work and only increase the chances that the tick will transmit Lyme disease to you. Applying alcohol, nail polish remover, or a hot match can irritate a tick and cause it to vomit its intestinal contents into your skin. The intestinal contents of a tick can contain the bacterium that causes Lyme disease.

When removing a tick, don’t worry if the tick’s mouthparts break off and remain lodged in your skin. The mouthparts alone cannot transmit Lyme disease, since the infectious body of the tick is no longer attached. The mouthparts can be left alone. They will dry up and fall out on their own in a few days, or you can remove them like a splinter.

After cleaning the area, observe the bite site for the appearance of a rash for 3 to 30 days after the bite. The rash is usually at least 2 inches in diameter initially and will gradually expand to several inches in size. Rashes smaller than a quarter size are usually a reaction to the bite itself and do not mean you have Lyme disease.

If you develop this type of rash or flu-like symptoms, contact your doctor immediately. Although not routinely recommended, taking antibiotics within three days of a tick bite may be beneficial for some people. This would apply to deer tick bites that occurred in areas where Lyme disease is common, and there is evidence that the tick fed for more than a day. In such cases, you should discuss the options with your doctor or licensed healthcare provider.

Create a tick-free zone around your home

While deer ticks are most common in wooded areas, they are also commonly found in our lawns and shrubs. There are a number of steps homeowners can take to reduce the chance of being bitten by a tick on their property.

Ticks and their primary hosts—mice, chipmunks, and other small mammals—need moisture, an area out of direct sunlight, and somewhere to hide. The cleaner you keep the area around the house, the less likely you are to get bitten by a tick.

While it may not be possible to create a completely tick-free zone, the following precautions will greatly reduce the tick population in your yard.

Keep the grass mowed.

Remove leaves, undergrowth and weeds at the edge of the lawn.

Limit the use of ground covers like pachysandra in areas frequented by families and stray pets.

Remove brush and leaves around stone walls and piles of wood.

Discourage rodent activity. Clean and seal stone walls and small openings around the house.

Move piles of firewood and bird feeders away from home.

manage pet activities; Keep dogs and cats out of the woods to reduce the introduction of ticks.

Use plantings that do not attract deer (contact your local co-op extension or garden center for suggestions) or exclude deer with various types of fencing.

Move children’s swings and sandboxes away from the edge of the woods and place them on a foundation of wood chips or mulch.

Trim branches and shrubs around the edge of the lawn to let in more sunlight.

Use dry or less water intensive landscaping techniques with gravel paths and mulching. Create a 3 foot or wider border of wood chips, mulch, or gravel between the lawn and woodland or stone walls. Consider areas of decking, tile, gravel, and border or container planting in areas around the home or in areas that are frequented.

widen forest roads.

If you are considering pesticide application as a targeted treatment, do not use a pesticide near streams or bodies of water as it may kill aquatic life or pollute the water itself.

Always read and follow the directions and precautions on the pesticide label

Tick ​​and insect repellents: deciding on their use

There are many different products on the market, with different ingredients, concentrations and potencies. The most effective contain DEET, permethrin (to be applied to clothing only), picaridin, or lemon eucalyptus oil. If you decide to use one, be sure to follow the label directions and apply the repellent carefully.

About insect repellent

DEET (the label may say N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide) comes in many different concentrations, with percentages ranging from as little as five percent to 100 percent. In general, the higher the concentration, the higher the protection but also the risk of negative health effects. Use the lowest concentration you feel will provide the protection you need.

Picaridin (aka KBR3023) and lemon eucalyptus oil were approved for use in New York State in 2005. Both repellents have been shown to provide long-lasting protection against mosquito bites, but there is limited data on their ability to repel ticks.

Products containing permethrin should only be used on clothing, not on the skin. Permethrin kills ticks and insects that come in contact with treated clothing. Permethrin products can cause eye irritation, especially if label directions have not been followed. Animal studies indicate that permethrin may have some carcinogenic potential. Permethrin is effective for two weeks or more if clothes are not washed. Store treated clothing in a plastic bag when not in use.

If you decide to use any type of repellent, carefully read and follow all label directions before each use. Labels provide important information on how to use the repellent, whether it can be applied to skin and/or clothing, special advice for children, human hazards, physical or chemical hazards, and first aid.

Children, pregnant women and repellents

Children may be at greater risk of side effects from repellents, in part because their exposure may be greater.

Keep repellents out of the reach of children.

Do not allow children to apply repellent to themselves.

Use only small amounts of repellent on children.

Do not apply repellents to young children’s hands as this may result in accidental eye contact or ingestion.

Try to reduce the use of repellents by dressing children in long sleeves and long pants tucked into boots or socks whenever possible. Use netting over strollers, playpens, etc.

As with exposure to chemicals in general, pregnant women should take care to avoid exposure to repellents when possible, as the fetus may be vulnerable.

considerations

When considering using a repellent, you should consider a combination of things including where you are, how long you will be out, how bad the bugs are, and whether those bugs carry disease. Every situation is different. Use the questions below to create a “profile” that fits your situation – this can help you decide whether to use a repellent and if so, which one.

What type of pest are you worried about?

Ticks may be more difficult to repel than mosquitoes. Repellents offer some protection from ticks, as does wearing light-colored, long-sleeved shirts and long pants with bottoms tucked into socks and boots.

when will you be out Where will you be?

Some pests are more active at certain times. For example, some mosquitoes are most active between dusk and dawn. Ticks can be active at any time of the day. Some locations are also more likely to have higher activity. Mosquitoes generally live in areas with scrub and trees. Ticks prefer areas with tall grass, bushes and trees.

how long will you be out

Are you gardening, going on a hike, camping for a week? The longer you travel, the more protection you may need. Some people exposed to large numbers of ticks and mosquitoes over a long period of time use a two-part approach. This approach involves applying approximately 33 percent DEET in a controlled-release formula to exposed skin and treating clothing with permethrin. On the other hand, if you’re gardening or having a picnic at midday when mosquito activity is low and decide to use an insect repellent, DEET concentrations as low as five percent can provide adequate protection against mosquito bites for up to about four hours.

Remember! If you decide to use a repellent, only use what and how much you need for your situation.

Lyme Disease and Pets

Lyme disease is not unique to humans. Veterinarians have reported Lyme disease in both dogs and cats. As with humans, it is important for animals to avoid tick bites and receive prompt treatment for Lyme disease.

Tick ​​Bite Prevention:

If you walk or exercise your pet outdoors, try to keep them away from grassy or wooded areas and leaf debris.

Check your pet for ticks regularly, especially after trips through grassy or wooded areas. Comb your pet’s hair thoroughly.

If you find a tick, remove it immediately.

Ask your veterinarian about treating your dog or cat with tick-killing pesticides (acaricides) or using tick collars. There are many pesticides designed to prevent tick bites, but some people and animals can be sensitive to the chemicals they contain.

There is currently a Lyme disease vaccine for dogs. However, there are different opinions about its effectiveness. Ask your vet about the vaccine.

If you find multiple ticks on your dog, you should discuss an insecticide bath with your veterinarian or groomer.

Symptoms Of Lyme Disease In Pets:

The symptoms of Lyme disease in animals are similar to the symptoms in humans. Although you won’t see a rash on your pet, they may experience a number of symptoms:

In dogs: Some infected dogs have no symptoms of Lyme disease. Symptoms include lethargy, arthritis (shown as joint pain, alternation from foot to foot, and lameness), fever, fatigue, and kidney damage. The symptoms can become chronic.

In Cats: While there is some debate as to whether cats have Lyme disease, it is believed that cats are highly resistant to the disease.

Treatment of Lyme disease in pets:

Like humans, animals with Lyme disease are generally treated with certain antibiotics. However, you should consult your veterinarian regarding the proper treatment for your pet.

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It’s important to follow these simple tips if you find a tick on you, whether it’s attached or not

After months of mandatory quarantines and closures, you’re no doubt happily venturing outside for fresh air, exercise, and fun. While it’s important to protect yourself from COVID-19 when you’re outdoors, you also need to protect yourself from those nasty blood-sucking ticks that are rapidly spreading across the United States. Every year there is an increase in Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases, many of which are difficult to diagnose and treat. Right now, the only surefire way to prevent infection is to avoid getting bitten by a tick. In fact, a recent survey of its members by the Global Lyme Alliance found that 93 percent worry about being bitten when they go outside.

Let’s say you’ve followed recommended tick bite prevention measures, but a tick still finds its way onto your skin… What should you do?

If you find a tick crawling on you…

If you spot a tick crawling on your skin and it hasn’t bitten you yet, there is little to no risk of you getting sick. A tick transmits bacteria only while attached and feeding. If you find one that is crawling, don’t touch it with your bare hands! You should avoid touching their mouthparts and coming into contact with the tick’s saliva, which could make you sick. See “What to do with the tick” below.

However, be aware that if you have found an unattached tick, there is a chance that another tick will crawl on your body and look for a suitable feeding ground. Or someone may have taken your clothes or your pet if you have one. So if you come from outside, take a shower or bath as soon as possible. This washes away any unattached ticks and gives you the opportunity to do a full body tick check. As you explore, pay special attention to the warm, moist places where ticks like to hide: groin, belly button, armpits, between the toes, around the waist, in the hair, behind the ears, and knees.

However, if you can’t shower right away, Sara Tyghter, director of education and outreach for the Global Lyme Alliance, suggests using a lint roller with sticky paper immediately after your outdoor activity to pick up ticks before they take hold. Roll it over your clothes, legs and arms just like you would when trying to remove lint or pet hair. “The roller is good for picking up tiny nymph ticks that are hard to see,” she says. “This is a quick way to reduce your risk of a tick bite.” Then shower and do a tick test as previously outlined.

If you find a tick on yourself…

We know that finding a tick attached to your body can be scary. But please don’t panic. It’s important to remove the tick properly once you find it. The longer it’s attached, the more likely it is to transmit Lyme disease (studies show that other tick-borne diseases can be transferred into your bloodstream within minutes). While there are several folk remedies for removing a tick — from covering it with nail polish or petroleum jelly to burning it with a match — ignore them all — these methods can excite the tick and cause it to shed its bodily fluids onto your skin. thereby increasing the risk of disease transmission.

tick removal. Use fine-tipped tweezers or a dedicated tick removal tool such as TickEase or TickKey. Grasp the tick as close to the skin surface as possible and, with steady, slow, and even pressure, pull up to remove it. You may have to pull quite hard. You need a really firm grip as ticks are small and nymph ticks can be as tiny as a poppy seed. Do not twist or jerk the tick; this can excite it and cause the mouthparts to break off and remain embedded in the skin. Slowly pull straight up until the entire tick (body and head) is removed. If part of the head breaks off when pulling the tick out, try to remove it with clean tweezers. Disinfect the area where the tick was attached (and your hands) with an antiseptic such as B. Rubbing alcohol. Don’t worry if you absolutely can’t pull it out of your skin, it will eventually work its way out like a splinter. Test the tick. Send the tick to a lab for testing. It is important to know what kind of tick was attached and what diseases it carried. Monitor the bite site. Take a picture of the bite site as soon as possible. Draw a circle around the bite to easily track if a rash is developing and spreading. It’s important to note that you may not see a rash, or a rash may appear on other parts of the body. In addition, it must not be in the form of a classic porthole. Contact an MD. We recommend that you see a doctor immediately to discuss prophylactic antibiotics. Write down any symptoms you notice after the bite or use our Lyme symptom tracker app to keep track of symptoms. Any change can mean a reaction to a pathogen of a tick. As soon as you notice any symptoms, call or see your doctor right away. Trust your symptoms. Current diagnostic tests are very inaccurate. Your symptoms may indicate Lyme disease.

What to do with the tick…

Using a damp cotton ball or paper towel, place the tick in a zippered plastic bag or sealed container. We recommend sending the tick to your local health department or lab to be tested and identified for Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases. If you don’t want to send the tick to a lab, the CDC recommends wrapping it tightly in duct tape before discarding it in the trash.

It’s helpful to take a picture of the tick and note the date it was removed for reference. Keep in mind that you can get multiple infections from a single tick bite, and different species of ticks can transmit different infections.

What if you’ve never seen a tick or rash but suspect you might have Lyme disease…

Many, if not most, people infected with Lyme disease never knew they were bitten by a tick. One of the first signs of Lyme disease can be a summer flu-like illness with chills and fever, headache, stiff neck, and muscle and joint pain. They may also develop a rash anywhere on the body, which may or may not be a circular bullseye rash, a well-known early sign of the disease.

If your flu-like symptoms last a few days without improvement, see a doctor. Ask them to test you for Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases. It’s up to you to tell your doctor that you want to get tested. Early detection is crucial! Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases require a doctor who is familiar with their complex symptoms. While current diagnostic tests are unreliable, it’s still a good idea to get tested. Talk to your doctor about prophylactic treatment with antibiotics. If Lyme disease is left untreated, it can lead to more severe and persistent symptoms, including neurological and cognitive problems and potentially fatal heart problems.

Most important is prevention of tick bites of any kind. For more information on Lyme disease, prevention, detection, diagnosis, treatment, and patient support services, visit the BeTickAware.org site, where you can access videos, factsheets, and a variety of educational materials can protect you and your family from tick-borne diseases.

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Are you looking for a Lyme disease specialist near you? Click here.

To learn more about the stages of Lyme disease, click here.

To learn more about Lyme disease symptoms, click here.

Ticks in the house? Here’s what to do to get rid of a tick in your home and tips on how to avoid getting a tick in your home again.

A tick in your home is unsettling, to say the least.

A harmless walk in the woods with your pup can lead to ticks invading your home. While many species of ticks tend not to make homes indoors (deer ticks typically die within 24 hours and can survive only short periods of time in places where moisture levels are less than about 90 percent, and many tick species prefer it). , lay eggs on the soil surface and do not reproduce indoors), for example, brown dog ticks do this. So if you find a tick in your home, you should of course remove it and then keep an eye on these things.

Take a look at the most dangerous mistakes to avoid.

How to get rid of ticks in your home

1. Check yourself and your family.

A long walk in the woods with Fido and the family on a beautiful autumn day can result in ticks hitchhiking into your home via your clothes and the dog’s coat. Make sure everyone wears clothing that covers their skin. Also, be sure to check your hair and your pet’s coat carefully! Comb through your dog’s coat and look for bumps. Also check your pet’s paws (including between the toes), in the ears, and around the face and neck. Do you have an outdoor cat? You’ll want to check them out every time they walk in!

Learn more about how to protect yourself from ticks here.

2. Repair and seal any crevices or gaps.

Most ticks are not interested in coming indoors. However, brown dog ticks can be attracted to small cracks and crevices in homes that are not well maintained. If this happens and ticks start laying eggs, you could have a full-blown infestation on your hands. So this is all the more reason to be diligent about caulking any cracks and openings on the exterior of your home.

3. Use tick treatments.

For extra safety, use tick collars and spot-on treatments to prevent ticks from attaching to your pets.

STEVEN ELLINGSON/SHUTTERSTOCK

4. Change your scenery.

To keep ticks away from your home, consider keeping them out of your yard. The Verona (NJ) Environmental Commission suggests mowing your lawn to a height of 3 inches, removing brush, weeds, leaves and other debris, raking up leaves and trimming undergrowth several feet into the woods if your yard ends in a forest. Also, get rid of densely planted beds near your home. The commission also suggests using wood chips or gravel to create a barrier between wooded areas where ticks are common and your lawn, and moving piles of wood, bird feeders and bird baths far from your home to keep mice and chipmunks, the hosts for ticks are to be kept away.

From raccoons to carpenter ants, mosquitoes to ticks, these tips from Family Handyman Field Editors and experts will show you how to get rid of stubborn pests.

5. Vacuum like you mean it!

Vacuum up any ticks in your home. The device not only records what you see, but ticks in all phases of life. Use it especially in places frequented by your outdoor animals, as well as on your carpets, rugs and furniture.

6. Sprinkle diatomaceous earth.

According to the Verona Environment Commission, diatomaceous earth (DE) is a safe alternative to boric acid, which is toxic if ingested! Rake DE into the carpet and get the dust in the corners of all non-carpeted floors. Remove after a week. DE consists of tiny fossilized aquatic organisms that pierce the tick’s outer layer as it crawls over the fine powder, dehydrating the tick without the use of toxic pesticides.

go camping? Wear long sleeves and pants to keep ticks off your skin, and check for ticks frequently. If found, uncheck it immediately.

7. Dry clothes, then wash.

According to AARP, after coming indoors from an outdoor session, you should remove your clothes immediately and throw them in the dryer first. This dries them out and kills any ticks that are on the clothing. Tumble dry on high for 15 minutes and then wash.

Here’s more information on how to prepare your home for the upcoming tick explosion.

Next, check out how to make homemade mosquito repellent for your yard.

While the best way to prevent tick-borne diseases is to avoid ticks altogether or fumigate your home, here are a few natural and effective home remedies to kill ticks

Ticks are annoying parasites that plague both you and your pets, and can even transmit dangerous diseases like Lyme disease or Rocky Mountain spotted fever.

While the best way to prevent tick-borne diseases is to avoid ticks altogether or fumigate your home, here are a few natural and effective home remedies to kill ticks.

Mislav Marohnić/Flickr Deer ticks. Get them before they get you.

It’s that time again. The ticks are back and ready to make their way to a blood meal from your succulent flesh. However, if you’re like me, you probably prefer to keep your blood to yourself — and avoid potential exposure to Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases.

And there’s a surefire way to kill any ticks that may have caught your clothes. Toss any potentially tick-bearing clothing items in the dryer and run it on high heat for 10 minutes.

It’s not the heat that’s killing them. It’s the dryness. Ticks need moisture to survive, and they quickly dry out and die in dry conditions — and a quick spin in the dryer is enough to crisp them to death. (Ticks can actually survive a hot water run through the washing machine.)

So whenever you’re out in tick country—hiking, gardening, or otherwise active in known tick areas—get undressed as soon as you get back inside, start a tick dryer death cycle, and examine yourself thoroughly in the process.

Of course, there are many other ways to protect yourself against ticks, including treating your clothing with permethrin, tucking pant legs into your socks, wearing light-colored clothing to make ticks easier to spot, and doing constant and regular check-ups yourself and your children , and your dog. A dryer spin is just another effective technique to add to your arsenal.

For more information on these and other techniques, as well as everything you always wanted to know about ticks, visit the TickEncounter Resource Center.

Despite the widespread human encounters with ticks, most people don’t really know much about where ticks typically reside or how they come into contact with people, pets, and other prey.

Knowing some basic information — including common tick habitats, when ticks are most active, what they typically hunt for, and how they attach to hosts — can help you determine how best to limit your exposure to ticks and avoid encounters if you venture into common tick territories.

Tick ​​habitat could be right outside your door

Generally, tick populations are found at higher elevations in wooded and grassy areas where the creatures they feed on live and roam, including deer, rabbits, birds, lizards, squirrels, mice, and other rodents. However, they can also be found in urban areas as well as on beaches in coastal areas. They also like damp and humid environments that tend to be closer to the ground – e.g. B. between tree trunks, fallen branches, high undergrowth and grassy areas. Ticks in the early stages of the life cycle – larvae and nymphs – are often found in piles of decaying leaves under trees.

These welcoming conditions exist not only in remote wilderness, but also in parks, fields, picnic areas, and residential areas, including your backyard. The following are some common tick habitats where it is advisable to keep an eye out for ticks:

Piles of wood that can often house mice and other rodents

Tall grassy areas

wooded areas

Stone walls and other features that can retain moisture

piles of leaves and rubbish

Fallen and low hanging branches

Overgrown shrubs

Bird feeders (because they can invite other tick attracting wildlife)

To reduce the risk of ticks near your home, prune trees and shrubs, keep grass short, remove piles of wood, piles of leaves, debris and fallen branches, and consider removing stone walls and bird feeders.

Some ticks prefer to settle inside houses

Although most ticks prefer the outdoors, certain species can live and thrive indoors.

The brown dog tick, for example, can cause high levels of infestations in homes, kennels, and other structures where dogs are present. Soft ticks also tend to be indoors, typically living in rustic shacks or other dwellings with mouse or other rodent infestations. These ticks live in rodent burrows and feed on hosts, including humans and pets, while they sleep. Both tick species can reproduce and lay eggs indoors, which allows them to settle and live in the home environment.

However, most ticks prefer to lay their eggs on the ground so they stay away from indoor areas. However, ticks can sometimes land in your home by attaching themselves to a pet, person, or clothing and hitchhiking into your home. Once they fall off or finish eating, they’re likely to crawl around, either looking for another host or a way out.

Keep in mind that these ticks can extend their stay by up to a few days if they find a suitable environment in your home, such as a bed. B. Piles of damp clothes on the floor or in baskets.

Ticks can be active all year round

Although some species of ticks prefer warmer temperatures and are more active during the spring and summer months, others remain active year-round. For example, adult black-footed ticks, also known as deer ticks, are most active from fall to spring, often after the first frost. In the Northeastern region of the United States, populations of these adult ticks begin to increase in early October and remain active as long as the temperature remains above freezing and the ground does not freeze or become covered with snow.

The time of day when ticks are most active can also vary from species to species, with some preferring to hunt in the cooler and wetter hours of early morning and evening, while others are more active in the midday when it is hotter and drier.

Knowing the specific types of ticks that are most common in your area can help you narrow down and identify specific times of the year when they are most likely to be active so you can take appropriate preventive measures. Check with local health departments, park services, or other agencies for information on the prevalence of ticks in your area, as well as high activity seasons, recommended precautions, and preventative measures. The University of Rhode Island allows you to connect your Google calendar directly to their TickSmart calendar, giving you tick safety tips straight to your calendar throughout tick season.

When hunting, most ticks prefer you to come to them

Most ticks take a passive approach to finding their prey, using a wait-and-see approach called “questing.” They typically climb to the top of a blade of grass or near the edges of a bush or branch and wait for potential prey to come by. When they do, they extend their hooked front legs and latch on to fur, hair, or clothing, pulling them from their perch toward the host where they can begin feeding.

All ticks feed on the blood of mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians, and some crawl short distances to pursue hosts when they sense exhaled carbon dioxide, which all mammals emit when they breathe.

However, certain species of ticks take a more active role in chasing prey. For example, the lone star tick is an aggressive hunter known to pursue hosts over very long distances.

However, ticks are not as mobile as you might think. They don’t jump, fly, or fall from trees; Instead, they just crawl and climb. However, they can be transported to new areas while feeding on their hosts. Although ticks are often spotted higher on the body, they usually attach themselves to the ground from lower perches and then instinctively crawl up to attach themselves around the head and neck area, as the skin is usually thinner and many animals have difficulty reach out to these areas to nurture them out. Ticks are also often found in the groin, armpits, and other areas where they are usually harder to spot, giving them more time to feed.

Educate yourself to protect yourself

Ticks aren’t just a nuisance — they also transmit serious infectious diseases like Lyme disease, tick-borne relapsing fever, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and more. Understanding tick habitats and behavior is an important part of avoiding tick bites and preventing disease. However, if you think you may have been bitten by a tick, consult a doctor or order a lab test from IGeneX to detect tick-borne diseases.