Deer ticks go dormant in winter when the temperature stays below freezing but start to wake up once the days get warmer. For ticks that didn’t find a host animal in the fall, they’re hungry and looking for a host animal. So they’re out in force this time of year in search of food. This is also the time that dog ticks are most active for the same reasons, so it’s important to be able to tell the difference between the two.
In addition to Lyme Disease, deer ticks have also been found to carry Powassen, a rare but potentially fatal virus that can lead to encephalitis and meningitis. So it’s pretty important to get your yard treated early before they can really do their damage.
So what can you do to reduce ticks in your yard?
- Make sure leaf litter and trash are removed. This will deny ticks a place where they can find shelter from the weather and a jumping off point to find a new host.
- Cut your lawn regularly. Ticks love to hang out at the end of a blade of grass and wait for a good food source to walk by. Keeping your grass short reduces the opportunity to jump on a new victim.
- Have your property sprayed by a professional. The most effective way to prevent tick infestations is to kill them with a safe spray regularly administered by a professional. Monthly spraying not only kills live ticks but will also reduce the population for future years.
Most important, don’t wait. Getting a jump on reducing the ticks in your yard will provide peace of mind for you and your family throughout the summer and fall. To sign up for our Tick and Mosquito Control Programs, give us a call at (603) 332-1246 or fill out our Service Request form.