What are Ticks?
Ticks have eight legs because they are related to spiders. The bodies of these insects are flat, oval, and swell when they eat. Animals of all kinds, from birds to deer to humans, feed on their blood. They’re also very small. Ticks are about the size of an apple seed, even when they are adults. Due to their difficulty in spots, they can spread illnesses without being detected. If you’ve found ticks on your property, getting ticks pest control to get rid of them is probably your top priority.
Ticks typically search for soft skin patches once they have a host to feed on. They occasionally travel around the body for several hours before biting, which is not typical. The ticks then frequently end up in folds of skin, your hairline, or behind your ears. When a tick locates a suitable location to feed, it uses its mouthparts to pierce the host’s skin, introduce a feeding tube (which also acts as an anchor) into the wound, and then continue to feed on blood until it is satisfied.
When a tick attaches to your skin and begins to feed, it does not hurt. Once complete, the tick will fall off on its own if you don’t first detect it and remove it. Your skin will typically get red and itch at the tick bite area, just like when you get a mosquito bite. Often, people don’t even realise they have a tick until their skin begins to itch.
How to identify Ticks?
According to the species, life stage, amount of feeding, and length of feeding, tick size varies. Tick larvae hatch from eggs, become nymphs, and then become adults. A black-legged tick larva is about the size of a grain of sand, a nymph about the size of a poppy seed, and an adult about the size of a sesame seed. An adult female black-legged and/or lone star tick can be as large as a raisin when fully fed.
Ticks exhibit a variety of shapes and colour patterns depending on the species, stage of life, and gender. After feeding, tick abdomens grow, making identification challenging for most individuals. If you need to identify a tick’s species, consider hiring an expert. Another way to identify ticks in your yard is to check your pets after they enter. If you find ticks on your outdoor pets, there’s a good chance they’re picking the ticks up in your yard.
You can also manually check your yard for ticks. Check the following locations for ticks using a flashlight:
- A long brick or retaining walls.
- In areas of dense or tall grass or trees.
- In piles of yard debris, including leaf piles, firewood piles, etc.
- Check for places where your pets spend time, like dog houses or outdoor kennels.
- In landscaping bushes.
- In areas where organic debris has collected.
How to get rid of Ticks in your yard?
Ticks will locate the perfect habitat to establish themselves once they’re in your yard. Ticks of all species enjoy the dampness and darkness. Their preferred hiding places are places with lots of shade, tall grass, and moist dirt. Ticks may still establish themselves in the outside portions of your lawn even after it has been mowed, where they can find low-hanging bushes or ground cover plants to utilize as cover. Once ticks have infested an area, they are tough to eliminate. Contacting a professional pest control company is ideal for controlling your tick problems.
Ticks are undesirable in any yard, but how can you eliminate them? Fortunately, numerous safe and effective natural home solutions for tick prevention are also suitable for dogs and other pets. Cedar oil spray is one of our go-to all-natural tick repellents. Natural, non-toxic cedar oil works well as a tick repellent. You can spritz it straight on your skin or clothing if you’re going trekking. Ticks can be killed instantly by eucalyptus and neem oil. Pour 4 ounces of distilled water and 30 drops of your preferred carrier oil into a spray bottle and use the mixture to employ these essential oils to get rid of ticks. Spray the mixture liberally wherever you want to eliminate ticks.
In your yard, you may encounter pests infestations such as raccoons, rats, mice, squirrels, and other rodents. To get rid of ticks, it’s also essential to address these underlying infestations. Identify areas where mice infestations or other pests have been observed. Hire a pest management company to eliminate the pests at their source. Pest control companies are the people who help eradicate pests that can cause damage to structures, residential properties, and commercial properties. These companies are licensed and regulated by their respective state government.
Ways To Get Rid of Ticks
Here is how a pest company gets rid of ticks from your yard professionally.
1. Tick inspection
Pest exterminators will evaluate your property for any signs of tick activity, and work with you to determine where ticks might be coming from, and why they’re so attracted to your yard. They will also collect sample areas around your home and property to identify the presence of other organisms that could be serving as hosts for ticks, such as small rodents.
2. Pest Treatment
Once they have completed tick inspection, they will begin treatment regimen. Depending on the severity of your tick infestation, these treatments may include the use of backpack sprayers, liquid residual products, power sprayers, and more. They will also apply a customised mix of granular products, dust, aerosols, and liquid residual products, making sure to focus on the exterior of your home and the span of your yard. These treatments will eliminate ticks on contact, and help you reclaim your tick-free yard.
3. Follow-up Treatments
Once they have delivered your primary treatment, they will also help to schedule needed follow-up treatments to help your yard stay tick-free in the long run. The pest company will build a treatment timeline around your schedule and continue monitoring your property’s tick levels to ensure a pest-free outdoor space.
Image Credit: https://www.flickr.com/photos/ricosz/16733159284
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. How to find the right pest control company for your home?
A. Here are some things to consider when searching for a pest control firm for your home: Ask a few providers about their offerings and costs. Obtain references from friends or relatives who have already had pest control work done. Request a free examination of your property and read online reviews.
Q. Can ticks live in your bed?
A. Beds, linens, pillows, and blankets are favourite tick haunts. This is a popular place for them to attach to and feed on their human hosts. Furthermore, once they attach, they can remain attached to you for days without you even realising it.
Q. How do I know if my pet has a tick?
A. Ticks on pets range in size from the size of an apple seed to the size of a pea, and their color may vary depending on their species. Ticks become ‘engorged’ after attaching to the skin and taking a blood meal from their host. Ticks tend to look different throughout their lifecycle, so if you’re unsure if it’s a tick, it’s best to consult your vet.