Ticks are pests that can make people and pets incredibly ill. In fact, they can transmit more diseases than any other arthropod. In particular, they are responsible for ailments like Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain fever. If you have children or pets and live in a humid and wooded area, then ticks may be a concern of yours. Thankfully, there are some things you can do to control ticks and keep them from harming your family.

Use Pesticides

Certain types of pesticides are effective in reducing the tick population on your property. Pesticides can and should be spread in areas where ticks are most likely to live. Ticks live in patches of thick grass, areas where weeds gather, in brush and bushes, and in wooded areas. 

Before you purchase and spread insecticides, it is wise to identify the spaces where ticks may gather on your property. Remove leaf piles around your home, clear away sticks and lumber, and mow down tall grass and weeds. You also may want to remove thick and large bushes that provide a living space for ticks. If you have firewood stacked near your house, then also move it away from your home.

Once you remove the debris near your house, you should spread a pesticide a few feet inside wooded areas or spaces with dense greenery that cannot be removed. You can also add chemicals around your yard. This is called perimeter spraying. It is wise to add the chemicals in a few different applications during the middle of May, June, and October. Both liquid and granule products work well. Look for ones that contain permethrin or bifenthrin. If you only want to apply the pesticide once, then look for a product that contains acaricide instead.

Stop Migration

Ticks are unable to fly or jump. They typically remain hidden in low level areas and wait for a host to come near. The tick then grabs onto the host and attaches itself. While ticks can move from one wooded area to another, they crawl across the ground. Ticks also climb up vegetation, but they rarely move more than a few meters. Ticks especially do not like to be out in the open for too long. 

If you want to stop ticks from migrating or crawling from one space to another, then spread a two to three foot wide layer of gravel across the perimeter of your yard. This will prevent ticks from coming near your residence, pets, or children. 

While ticks actively moving towards your home are an issue, you also need to be concerned about ticks dropping off from wild animals. If this is a concern of yours, then construct a fence on the perimeter of your lawn to keep deer, possums, raccoons, and stray cats out of your yard. A simple chicken wire fence or even a snow fence can successfully create a border.  

For more tips, contact an exterminator.