Your yard can make a great home for several species of ticks. Deer ticks transmit Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses and are active from early spring through late fall in New England. Tick prevention starts with awareness. In order to protect ourselves and our family from ticks, we need to understand where ticks live in our yards.
Ticks prefer to live in moist and humid environments. This is why a very wet spring and summer can lead to heightened tick activity, while a dry season is less favorable to ticks. Often, they are not out in the middle of your lawn, instead they stay near the border of wooded areas or anywhere it is shaded. They'll also look for brush and leaf litter where moisture can collect and create a humid environment. Ultimately, the more overgrown the property, the more appealing it is to ticks and wildlife that carry ticks.
Here are three tips you can do today to reduce tick habitat in your yard:
- Remove leaf litter and brush. Ticks search for spots on your property that will protect them from the hot sun or cold air depending on the time of season. Leaf litter and brush provide shelter and protection, allowing ticks to find new hosts or remain dormant through the winter months.
- Repel deer or use deer fencing to reduce deer traffic on your property. Deer and other wildlife carry ticks closer to the home, especially in the fall and winter months when deer are moving closer to residential areas in search of food. Deer repellents break the feeding habits of deer and over time, deter them from your property.
- Treat your property throughout the season using an all-natural or organic tick control method. Deer ticks in particular remain active until temperatures consistently drop below freezing or when there is heavy snow fall on the ground. They can even become active in the middle of winter if there is mild weather. Tick property sprays eliminate ticks on contact while also proactively reducing the future population near your home.
Once you reduce tick habitat in your yard, the harder it will be for ticks to survive in your home environment. The best way to reduce ticks in your yard is through property applications. Request a free proposal from our team to take the first step. Our products are National Organic Program compliant, making them safer to be applied around children, pets, and gardens.
Find a tick on your property? Identify the species by using our tick identification card.
