Millions of people in the U.S. are bitten by ticks every year. In this handy guide, you’ll learn what ticks are, how dangerous they are, the most effective ways to prevent yourself from getting ticks on your property, and the best way to get rid of them if they do move into your yard. Spoiler alert: the best way to get rid of ticks on your property is to call a professional Waldorf pest control company like Mike’s Pest and Termite Control.
What Are Ticks?
Ticks are small arachnid parasites that feed on animal and human blood. They have eight legs arranged in pairs, and their bodies are oval-shaped. In the right conditions, they can live for several years.
There are six common types of ticks in Waldorf:
- American dog ticks are also known as wood ticks. They’re only found in North America, and their preferred host is dogs. They’re brown with white or gray markings, and they’re roughly ¼ inch long.
- Asian long-horned ticks are reddish-brown when they haven’t eaten and gray when they have. If they haven’t fed recently, they’re the size of a sesame seed. If they have, they’re the size of a pea.
- Blacklegged ticks are also known as deer ticks since deer are their preferred food source. They’re orange-brown with dark brown or black legs, and they’re? inch long.
- Brown dog ticks are reddish-brown if they haven’t eaten recently, and blue-gray when they have. Unengorged, they measure about? inch long, but if they’ve fed recently, they can grow to ½ inch long. They prefer dogs but will feed on humans if necessary.
- Gulf coast ticks are about? inch long and reddish-brown with gray markings.
- Lone star ticks are reddish-brown, becoming gray after they feed. Females have a white spot on their backs. They range from ¼ inch long, with males being smaller.
If you’re concerned, you need to know how to get rid of ticks, and not just how to remove them from your body if they latch on. Getting them out of your yard is a job for Mike’s Pest and Termite Control.
Just How Dangerous Are Ticks?
Tick control becomes of paramount importance once you realize how dangerous ticks are. Here is a list of diseases known to be carried by ticks:
- Lyme disease
- Anaplasmosis
- B. miyamotoidisease
- Ehrlichiosis
- Babesiosis
- Powassan virus
- Tularemia
- Heartland virus
- Bourbon virus
- Southern tick-associated rash illness (STARI)
- Rocky Mountain spotted fever
- Lyme disease
These diseases can be incredibly serious, even fatal, especially for young children, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems. That’s why you must employ a pest management company like Mike’s Pest and Termite Control, a tick control company in Waldorf, to eliminate them from your property.
What Are Effective Ways To Prevent Ticks Around A Property?
If you need to know how to avoid ticks on your property, the best way is to prevent them from ever showing up in the first place. Here are some tips to do just that:
- Keep your lawn cut short, reducing the amount of space ticks can hide in.
- Cut grass, weeds, and other vegetation short around your outbuildings, trees, fence lines, and play sets.
- Clean up yard debris, including fallen leaves, twigs, and brush.
- Wear long pants tucked into your socks and a long-sleeved shirt when going out into wooded areas or places with dense vegetation.
- Don light-colored clothing, so ticks will stand out and can be safely removed before they bite you.
- Caulk any cracks and crevices in your foundation that rodents might use to sneak into your house. Rodents often carry ticks, as well as fleas and their own host of diseases.
- Put tight-fitting lids on outside garbage cans to avoid attracting wild animals to your yard.
- Partner with Mike’s Pest and Termite Control for appropriate outdoor treatment of your property to help prevent ticks from showing up in your yard.
What's The Best Way To Get Rid Of Ticks On A Property?
If you need to get rid of ticks that are already on your property, Mike’s Pest and Termite Control is ready to help. Mike was born and raised in the Waldorf area, and after spending 25 years working for a national pest management company, he decided to open his own pest control business. He wanted his customers to have direct access to a home pest management professional who knows the area and its pests, not just another technician from a faceless organization.
At Mike’s Pest and Termite Control, our services are tailored to your needs at the time we come to service your home. You’ll receive a free inspection and estimate before we go to work. We’ve been screened and approved by HomeAdvisor. Contact us today to schedule your inspection.