Finding a tick on your dog or yourself after an afternoon in the backyard can be alarming. There are ways to eliminate the problem and make your yard safe again.

Infestation Issues

Ticks make their way into your yard via various means. They may hitch a ride on deer and other wildlife that visits your yard. In some cases, they spread into your yard naturally from nearby woods or grassy fields that border your property. Once in the landscaping, they quickly make themselves at home and begin looking for their next meal. 

The little bloodsuckers can and will latch onto both humans and pets. The bites are rarely painful while the tick is implanted, but the pests are vectors for disease. Ticks can spread major illnesses like Lyme disease, babesiosis, and rocky mountain spotted fever. The bites can also cause an infection, especially if removal isn't performed properly.

Problem Areas

Moisture is the main need of ticks in the yard. They are drawn to damp or humid areas where they have shelter. Tall grasses and weedy areas can be overrun with ticks quite quickly when the conditions are right. Even tall and densely planted ornamental plants can provide a good habitat for ticks.

Keeping the grass mowed short and weeds at bay won't guarantee that ticks won't take up residence. When no grassy habitat is available, the pests will move into the next best thing — shrub and tree borders. They tend to congregate on the lower sections of shrubs where there is plenty of branch cover and trapped moisture. 

Treatment Options

Fortunately, there are ways to eliminate ticks from your yard. First, the conditions of the yard should be altered to make it less tick friendly. This means mowing regularly, pulling up weeds, and spacing plants in ornamental gardens so that there is plenty of air circulation around them to keep moisture levels down. Shrubs should be trimmed and thinned to increase airflow, and brushy growth on the lower section of tree trunks must be pruned off.

For full eradication, professional tick treatments are usually necessary. The service will spray problem areas with a fast-acting, tick-killing solution, such as permethrin, or acaricide-based pesticides. Obvious problem areas are typically treated, such as tall grasses and ornamental shrub borders. They may also lay down granular products that act as a slower-acting tick killer, which will prevent more ticks from moving onto your property.

Contact a tick control service for more information. 

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