A COMPLETE GUIDE TO PROTECTING YOU & YOUR LOVED ONES FROM TICKS IN AIKEN

When you find ticks in your yard, it can make you nervous. You're probably aware that ticks can spread dangerous diseases that can be fatal or cause life-altering illnesses. You may also be concerned for your pets, or worried that your pets could bring ticks into your home. Today, we're going to offer up a complete guide for tick protection in Aiken.

Step 1: Resisting Ticks

Do you know why ticks come into your yard? Often it is because of wood areas, shaded areas, tall grass, and dense landscaping. Ticks thrive in overgrowth. One of the best ways to prevent ticks is to reduce harborage and ideal habitats. 

Try these tips:

• Keep your grass trimmed.
• Trim tree canopy to allow sunlight into shaded spots.
• Remove unnecessary vegetation from your landscaping.
• Trim bushes, shrubs, and other plants.
• Put space between the plants in your landscaping.
• Rake leaves up and away from your exterior.

Step 2: Reduce Moisture

Are you aware of the role moisture plays in tick development? Ticks need moisture to survive. This is another reason you'll find them in your landscaping. But how on earth do you make your landscaping dry? 

Here are some ideas:

• Water your plants in the early morning.
• Use sprinklers only as needed.
• Get your gutters cleaned out.
• Repair broken points in your gutter system.
• Make sure downspouts are channeling water away from your foundation.
• Repair leaking pipes.
• Loosen ground that captures rainwater.
• Address any conditions that allow puddles to form.

Step 3: Control Wildlife

Ticks don't generally come into your yard on their own. Ticks take animal hosts. These hosts bring ticks into your yard. Everything you do to resist wildlife activity can reduce tick populations. 

Here are some examples:

• Remove lawn clutter that offers hiding places and harborage.
• Install fencing around food sources and potential harborage locations under structures.
• Keep your trash in sealed containers that can't be knocked over.
• Keep bird feeders well away from your exterior walls.
• Consider installing a flashing light that has a motion detector.

Step 4: Pet Protection

Some homeowners think of pet protection as the end-all for tick control. It is absolutely not. But it is an important piece to the puzzle. You definitely want to get collars for your pets if they are right for your pets and your family. It is also good to purchase other control products by recommendation of your veterinarian. 

But there is more to pet protection than this:

• If you have a dog that goes out into your yard, consider creating a fenced-in play area if you don't already have one. This prevents wildlife from bringing ticks into this area, and prevents your dog from exploring your landscaping and other places where ticks can be picked up.
• Do routine checks of your pets. Run your fingers through their fur or hair and feel for bumps. Check between their toes and in their ears where ticks are known to target.
• Avoid walking your dog in tall grass or wooded areas.

Step 5: Personal Protection

There are ways you can keep ticks from making a meal out of you. 

If you'll be going out into your yard, or for a walk in nature, consider these tips:

• Tuck your pants into your socks.
• Wear bright colors so you can see ticks climbing up.
• Spray mosquito repellent on your legs to make ticks drop off as they try to climb you.
• Do a check for ticks when you get home.
• Learn how to properly remove a tick if you find one. 

Step 6: Tick Control Products

There are many products that will help you reduce ticks in your yard. These products can target adult ticks or use insect growth regulators (IGRs) to prevent the development of ticks. We strongly recommend that you allow a licensed pest control professional to select the right products and administer them. 

Here's why:

• Choosing the wrong product can cause you to expend a lot of energy, and waste a lot of money, for nothing.
• Deploying a product incorrectly can miss important areas and leave you exposed to ticks. Every potential area of infestation must be thoroughly treated.
• If you use the wrong product and soak every area, you can make yourself, your kids, and your pets ill.

If you live in the Aiken area, let Aiken Pest Control assist you with your tick control. We know what is required to get control of ticks in your yard. Connect with us today for advice or assistance.