Controlling ticks
Prevention of tick-borne disease is not limited to personal
protection. Those who enjoy spending time outdoors should
consider taking measures to reduce the tick population around the
home. People that are suffering from tick infections already
have a weakened immune system and do not need further infection from
subsequent bites.
 Helpful
tips for property tick control:
- Consider use of (professional) pesticide applications on your lawn for tick control.
Spraying in May will target small nymphal ticks. Other
timely applications will target adults in the summer or early
fall.
- Create a tick-safe zone with the use of landscaping
techniques.
- Keep playground equipment, play areas, decks, and patios
away from yard edges and trees.
- Keep firewood stacked far from the house in a dry location and
preferably off the ground.
- Clear all leaf litter and spent perennials out of the garden
in the fall.
- Frequently mow the lawn. Clear tall grass,
brush, and leaf litter from around the home and garden.
- Locate mailboxes, sheds, play equipment, and decks in the
sun and away from trees.
- Discourage wildlife from entering your tick-safe zone by
reducing their habitat and food sources. (Keep bird
feeders away from your home and tick-safe zone).
- Consider tick control measures such as bait boxes that treat
rodents (the carriers of Lyme) with acaricide.
- Discourage deer from entering your property with fence
control measures.
- Controlling the rodent population will help to reduce
infected ticks on your property. Rodents are carriers of
tick-borne diseases such as Lyme disease.
Links for further information:
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