How to Get Rid of Ticks

How to Identify Ticks

Ticks are not insects but small arachnids with eight legs as adults, ranging from the size of a poppy seed to a sesame seed before feeding and swelling much larger once engorged with blood. The blacklegged tick, also called the deer tick, is very small and reddish-brown and is the primary carrier of Lyme disease. The American dog tick is larger and brown with whitish markings, and the lone star tick is identifiable by the single white dot on the back of the female. Ticks do not jump or fly; they climb to the tips of grass and vegetation and grab onto a host that passes by, a behavior called questing. They are most active from spring through fall but can be a threat whenever the weather is mild.

Signs of an Ticks Problem

• Ticks found on people or pets after time spent in the yard or near brush
• Bites that leave a small, sometimes itchy, attached tick or a red mark
• Frequent tick activity along shaded, brushy or tall-grass yard edges
• Pets scratching or with ticks discovered during grooming
• A yard that borders woods, leaf litter, stone walls or tall vegetation
• Wildlife such as deer and rodents regularly passing through the property

Why Ticks Are a Problem

• Ticks transmit Lyme disease and other serious tick-borne illnesses
• Some bites can cause infections that are hard to diagnose early
• They threaten pets as well as people and can be carried indoors
• Symptoms of tick-borne illness can be delayed and easy to miss
• Yards bordering woods and brush can sustain ticks all season

Why DIY Often Falls Short

Ticks hide in shaded leaf litter, tall grass and brushy borders, and they are carried in continuously by deer, rodents and other wildlife, so a one-time spray from the store rarely reaches the resting areas or keeps up with new ticks moving in. Over-the-counter products often miss the specific yard zones where ticks quest and do little to address the habitat and wildlife pressure that sustain them. Treating the whole property effectively and safely requires the right products applied to the correct edge and ground-cover areas at the right times of year, along with habitat changes, which is difficult for a homeowner to do thoroughly. Without that combination, tick numbers tend to rebound quickly.

How a Professional Handles Ticks

• A licensed pest control professional will survey the yard to find shaded, humid areas where ticks rest and quest
• A pro can apply targeted barrier treatments to lawn edges, brush lines and ground cover
• Professional treatment typically involves recurring seasonal applications to keep populations down
• A pro can recommend habitat changes that make the yard less hospitable to ticks
• A professional will focus treatment on the high-risk zones where pets and people pick up ticks
• A pro can advise on integrated steps to reduce the wildlife that carry ticks onto the property

How to Prevent Ticks

• Keep grass cut short and clear leaf litter, brush and tall weeds from the yard
• Create a gravel or mulch barrier between lawn areas and wooded or brushy edges
• Keep play sets, patios and seating away from yard edges and shaded borders
• Discourage deer and rodents by removing food sources and securing trash
• Check people and pets for ticks after spending time outdoors
• Use veterinarian-recommended tick prevention on pets year-round

Ticks FAQs