Ticks are known to harbor many diseases including Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever and can be just as dangerous to pets as to humans.
This guide will detail various strategies such as use of chemicals, parasitic wasps, diatomaceous earth among others to control ticks so that you can greatly reduce their population and ensure that your yard remains a tick-free place to enjoy.
Ensure that you cut the grass as often as possible to maintain a compact and short surface. Ticks are found more often in tall grass and shrubs and thus, keeping the lawn and yards neat will discourage their presence.
Mow the grass to a height of 2-3 inches to help give your yard a less friendly environment for ticks and other pests. Short grass also facilitates easy monitoring of tick infestation, containing the problem since it is easily noticeable.
Place a screen of wood chips, gravel, or stones between the wooded area and lawn to prevent the spread of pests. This physical barrier assists in ensuring that ticks do not cross into your compound from adjoining woody regions.
It also hinders their mobility and prevents them from easily accessing your exterior domains. Sustain this barrier by restocking such items as and when they get exhausted or when there is a need to do so.
It is important to rake and remove dead leaves and other organic matter frequently from your lawn. Leaves form an ideal environment for the ticks and other pests to thrive especially if it is wet.
By getting rid of these items, you deny ticks spaces to breed and make your yard unfriendly to them. The elimination of excess organic matter in the yard is also beneficial in enhancing the general health of a lawn so one should always keep their lawn clean.
Mow lawns and prune trees and shrubs so that there are fewer areas of shade and moisture in which the ticks can survive. Since ticks are fond of cool and damp places, regular trimming of plants will ensure that such areas are eliminated.
It also helps raise awareness towards sunlight which in turn discourages the habitation of ticks. Other factors taken to ensure that there is a less hospitable environment for ticks include ensuring that the foliage around the yard is well trimmed.
Move bird feeders to locations away from frequented paths to reduce the concentration of ticks. Bird feeders bring rodents into your compound which may transport the ticks into the area.
If you transfer feeders to a place where they are not usually accessed by people, then you minimize the chances of ticks being brought nearer to the premises. Furthermore, it is advisable to encourage the use of feeders that are proven against rodents to minimize the possibility of getting infected.
Treat the lawn with acaricides, which are chemical agents toxic to ticks and should be sprayed in shaded parts of the lawn, where the ticks are most concentrated. These chemicals work on the ticks as well as their larvae with the aim of eliminating the two.
It will be important to ensure that the products that are used are safe for children as well as pets. Use according to instructions inside the application tube and reapply whenever needed depending on the product used.
Install tick tubes containing preferably cotton drenched in tick-killing chemicals around the compound. Rats and other rodents also gather the cotton for making their nests, thereby controlling the spread of the ticks and their eggs.
Put the tubes in the trails that the rodents use or near the wooden piles where they are likely to be seen. Use as directed for positioning and efficiency provided by the manufacturer. Hence, using tick tubes is one of the convenient ways to remove ticks from house.
Spray your lawn and garden with tick-repellent spray that has been formulated to be used outdoors. These sprays assist in repelling ticks and other pests from establishing themselves within your compound.
Make sure the repellent does not pose any danger to children and pets that may come across the area to be protected. Use as directed on the package and reapply after the time span provided by the manufacturer or after rainfalls or watering to maintain the efficacy of the spray.
Spray your body with eucalyptus, lavender, or cedar essential oils to prevent the ticks from latching on to you. Mix the oils with water and then spray the mixture onto the areas around your yard that need to deter intruders.
Using essential oils to repel ticks is also possible and much safer for children and pets than chemical pesticides. It is suggested to apply the spray again and again, especially when one notices that their lawns are wet due to the rain.
Spread food-grade diatomaceous earth on all the areas that dogs frequently visit in your compound. This natural powder dehydrates and kills ticks and other pests by destroying their outer skin or cuticles.
Use it wherever you expect ticks to be, for instance, along trails and near shrubs. It is advisable to reapply after rain or any time the plant surface has been wetted by dew to maintain the efficacy of the powder.
Incorporate beneficial nematodes into your soil to kill the tick larvae. These are parasitic worms that infest and destroy the ticks and other soil-borne pests that may affect crops.
Buy nematodes from a local garden shop or over the internet, and ensure to read the usage instructions. Most of the time they are diluted with water and applied on the surface of the soil.
Ticks are controlled by nematodes since they infect them in the early stages of their life thus gradually reducing the number of ticks found in your yard.
Plant bushes that repel ticks around the compound including rosemary, lavender, and marigolds. These plants possess some natural chemicals that are known to have an insect-repellant effect on ticks and other insects.
It is advisable to plant it at the edges of your yard, where you expect the ticks to penetrate into and around other plants as a barrier. In addition to using them as a natural pest repellent, these plants improve the aesthetic value of your compound and the scent of your garden.
Use deer fences on your compound to prevent deer from accessing your compound since they are carriers of the ticks. Deer are good hosts for ticks and can bring the little creatures right into your backyard.
Having a high fence of at least 8 feet can also help keep the deer off and also help in reducing the movement of ticks. Make certain the fence is well put up and regularly checked to prevent deer from invading the compound. This preventative measure minimizes the possibility of these animals bringing in ticks.
Remove or limit other heavy plant growth like ivy or pachysandra where ticks love to nest. Ticks are mostly found in environments with ground cover because these facilitates provide them with shelter and moisture.
By reducing these areas, it is possible to eliminate the breeding grounds of the ticks thus reducing the chances of their presence in your yard. Also, conduct frequent patrols and maintenance on ground cover to minimize the chances of ticks in your yard.
Invite natural enemies such as birds, chickens, or guinea fowls to your compound. These animals feed on ticks and in this way can act as natural controllers of them. Create conditions in your garden that would ensure the appearance of these useful inhabitants and offer them protection and the necessary food.
For instance, chickens and guinea fowl can stroll around your compound feeding on ticks as they graze on the ground. It is therefore clear that encouraging these predators can naturally control the numbers of ticks and balance the ecosystem.
The main requirement is to provide sufficient drainage in the yard so that there are no standing pools of water and the environment is dry. Subsequently, eliminating humidity proves useful in removing favorable conditions necessary for the survival of ticks.
Clog any drainage problems and use stones/gravel or sand to enhance drainage in problematic regions. It is useful to inspect and treat sources of excess moisture formation more often; these may include leaking hoses or stagnant rainwater.
Pets must be protected with tick-preventive products to prevent bringing ticks into the compound. Talk to your veterinarian regarding topical treatments, oral medications, or preferably tick collars.
This means that when your pets are protected, the likelihood of ticks being moved to your lawn or yard is also reduced so there is less chance of tick infestation. So if you are wondering how to get rid of ticks in your yard, treating your pets is a good start.
It is important that you clear clutter that can attract these ticks in your compound such as fallen branches, and leaves, among others. Tick larvae can be found on plant debris and weeds; thus, keeping your garden clean can help minimize tick populations.
It is advisable to include debris cleaning in your yard care regimen, especially if storms are anticipated or during the fallen leaf time of the year.
There should be a routine check on ticks on you, your family members, and pets, especially in the regions where you have been. Clothing and skin should also be searched for ticks, especially at frequently infested zones like the armpit, behind the knee, and hairline.
Grasp each tick with a pair of fine-point tweezers and pull upward with steady pressure to avoid leaving the mouthparts in the skin. Though it can be a tedious process, it is effective in preventing the occurrence of tick-borne diseases.
Close all crevices and holes on fences and walls to avoid any stray animals such as rats getting into your compound. Rodents themselves can bring ticks to your area and even into your yard hence it is very important to block all gaps.
One way you can do this is by using caulk or mesh to seal off any potential points of entry. It is also important to check and maintain fences and walls often in order to keep them safe and sound.
Small parasitic arthropods that are closely related to spiders and mites are ticks. These feed on the blood of mammals, birds, and occasionally reptiles. Here's a simplified overview of ticks
Ticks are generally small, ranging between 1-5 mm in size but exert themselves when filled with blood. They have a flattened oval-shaped body and are brownish, reddish-brown, or black in color, and possess eight legs.
Ticks are best adapted to grasslands, forests, and shrublands. They perch on plants and attach themselves to available carriers. It is characterized by the fact that it buries itself in the host’s skin and feeds on blood.
Ticks are known to cause diseases such as Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever. These parasite bites can also lead to skin rash and erythema.
Tick bites themselves may cause skin reactions in the form of redness, itching, and swelling at the site where the tick has bitten. Sometimes, they lead to secondary bacterial infections especially when the bitten area is scratched before washing.
Some people may develop reactions to tick bites, from mild to severe levels, including anaphylaxis. The Lone Star tick may cause an allergy to red meat known as alpha-gal syndrome.
Tick paralysis occurs when a tick releases toxins in its saliva which affects the muscles of the host and leads to paralysis and this is dangerous if the respiratory muscles are involved.
Ticks also present a major economic impact. It affects livestock and pets, causes them to lose weight, produce less milk, be anemic, and die from the disease if it is severe. Large costs are incurred through tick control measures, veterinary expenses, and reduced stock productivity.
In addition, costs in the public health sector increase more with the treatment of tick-borne diseases, including costs of medical care and spending on prevention programs to control ticks and to spread awareness among the public.
Ticks affect the mental health and social relations of people, especially those residing in the tick-endemic regions. The impact of ticks and their associated diseases can reduce the quality of life because people cannot fully enjoy outdoor activities.
This constant threat results in anxiety and stress associated with potential tick bites and diseases.
