There’s a lot to learn about ticks.
For instance, did you know that ticks aren’t insects? Ticks have eight legs
and are classified as parasitic arachnids.
Adult ticks range in size from that of a poppy seed to an apple seed, and
they feed on the blood of warm-blooded animals. When engorged with blood,
these tiny biters swell from the size of a small seed up to the size of a
blueberry!
Because ticks are so small, you are unlikely to feel their bite. But once a
tick finds someone to bite, it grasps the skin, cuts a hole in it, inserts
its barbed feeding tube, and begins to suck blood. The barbs hold the tick
in place while the host moves about.
An adult female tick can remain attached to its host, feeding on its blood
for seven to ten days, after which it will detach and fall off. After the
first 36-48 hours of feeding, a Lyme disease-carrying tick is most likely
to transmit the disease bacterium to its host.
Immature ticks, called nymphs, are the most frequent cause of Lyme disease
in humans. Measuring just 2 millimeters across, nymphs are very difficult
to see. Nymphs are most active feeding during spring and summer, which is
often considered tick season.
Ticks generally make their homes in wooded areas with overgrown shrubs,
tall grasses, fallen branches, and plenty of leaf litter. They typically
rest at the tips of grass and shrubs, waiting to grab onto a passing animal
to feed. But ticks are not only found in woods. They are plentiful in the
coastal brush and grasses around the beach and can make their home in your
backyard. In fact, most humans are bitten by ticks in their own gardens.
Tick season, or the time when adult ticks are most active , is from early
March to mid-May and mid-August to November. Remember ticks can be active
at anytime that weather is above 0 degrees.
PREVENTING TICK EXPOSURE
To prepare your London backyard for ticks, focus on reducing tick habitats
by keeping grass short, removing leaf litter, creating barriers, and
discouraging wildlife.
Here’s a more detailed breakdown:
1. Maintain a Clean and Open Environment:
– Mow your lawn regularly: Keep grass short (3 inches or less) to make
it harder for ticks to hide.
– Remove leaf litter and brush: Ticks thrive in dense vegetation, so
clear away fallen leaves, overgrown grass, and other debris.
– Trim trees and shrubs: Prune branches that overhang lawns and walkways
to reduce shade and humidity, which ticks prefer.
– Create barriers: Place a 3-foot wide barrier of wood chips or gravel
between lawns and wooded areas to restrict tick migration into recreational
areas.
– Keep playground equipment, decks, and patios away from yard edges and
trees.
– Remove old furniture, mattresses, or trash: that may give ticks a
place to hide.
2. Discourage Wildlife:
– Keep fences and other barriers to wildlife in good repair .
– Consider fencing to deter deer and other animals: that can carry
ticks.
– Remove or cover food sources: that attract wildlife, such as bird
feeders, pet food, and compost piles.
3. Consider Professional Tick Control:
– Consult with a pest control professional:
They can assess your property and recommend appropriate tick control
measures, such as spraying or using tick tubes.
– Be aware of the pros and cons of spraying:
While it can reduce tick populations, it may also harm beneficial
insects and the environment.
4. Personal Protection:
– Wear appropriate clothing:
Long sleeves, long pants, and closed-toe shoes can help prevent tick
bites.
– Use insect repellent:
Apply DEET or other EPA-approved repellents to exposed skin and
clothing.
– Check for ticks regularly:
After spending time outdoors, check yourself, your family, and your pets
for ticks.
– Remove ticks promptly and safely:
Use tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible and pull
it straight out.
5. Protect your animals from ticks and
bites
– *Use tick/flea control products monthly*
Ask us about the right product for your pet!
– *Consider giving the lyme vaccine to dogs at high risk*