Ticks can be a problem in Dallas, whether you have a dog or cat or you don't. These tiny arachnids can get onto you or your kids while you're out in the yard, and they can come into your home on mice, rats, and other animals.

Today, our goal is to equip you with the knowledge you need to reduce tick activity around your home, and to help you keep ticks from getting inside. If you're currently battling a tick problem in or around your home and you need Dallas pest control, remember that you can hop over to our contact page and reach out to us immediately. The service team here at All-Safe Pest & Termite is always standing ready to help. With that said, let's take a look at how tick control works.

The Life Cycle Of Common Ticks

There are many reasons why ticks get into Dallas homes. It is easy to conclude that only pet owners have issues with ticks, but this is not true. The best way to demonstrate why this is not true is to look at the life cycle of a tick.

• When a tick hatches from its egg, it is a tiny little bug with six legs. Yes, it has six legs. These little six-legged baby ticks are called seed ticks and most seed ticks look for small animals like mice and rats to take as hosts. There is one tick species in Dallas that is an exception to this. It is the Lone Star tick. These little bugs will readily attach to humans and may do so in large numbers. If they get on you or your kids, they can come straight into your home.

• When a little seed tick gets onto a small animal, it isn't done developing. It is going to leave the first host and molt into a nymph on its second host. Often, this is when ticks move from rodents to dogs and cats. When ticks are brought into a home on rodents, they drop off and search for a second host. If you don't have any dogs or cats, those ticks are going to try to get on you. Fortunately, it is very difficult for a tick to live on a human; we don't have a lot of hair. But, a bite from a tick that has fed on a rodent can present a risk for disease transmission. We'll get into that in a moment.

• When a tick reaches its adult stage, it waits in vegetation for another host. This is when dogs and cats usually pick ticks up in the yard. Certain species will also climb onto humans. You could pick one up while working on your landscaping. This last stage of development is when ticks start to mate and reproduce.

This is a simplification of how ticks behave. There is a lot more to it and more that could be said about how different kinds of ticks develop, but these basic principles show a few ways ticks may enter your home and why they're a problem.

The Problems Ticks On Your Property Can Create

Every time you, your kids, or your pets go outside, ticks can be brought back inside. This is the most obvious reason to get rid of ticks in your yard. It is also important to consider the disease threat ticks present. There is a long list of tick-borne diseases, such as Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, ehrlichiosis, babesiosis, Colorado tick fever, and many more. The risk of disease is greater when ticks first feed on mice, rats, or other animals. Therefore, wildlife and rodent control is key to tick prevention and disease transmission.

How To Make Your Property Less Appealing To Ticks & Their Hosts

Now that you understand how ticks may get into your home, and why it is a good idea to keep them out, let's look at tick prevention.

• Remove animal harborage. When an animal creates a den or nest on your property, it increases the chances for ticks to take root in your yard. Use fencing material to protect voids.

• Remove food sources. Animals come into your yard looking for food. Remove bird feeders, keep trash protected, reduce insect activity, etc.

• Reduce standing water and moisture problems. All creatures need a drink of water, and ticks need moisture to survive.

• Seal gaps and cracks in your exterior to keep rodents out.

• Use mulch or gravel to create barriers around outdoor recreation areas. Ticks don't like to climb on these materials.

These prevention tips are all-natural and can have a big impact on how many ticks live in your yard.

The Most Effective Tick Control For Dallas Properties

There are many options for natural tick prevention but the most effective way to get control of ticks on your property is to get professional tick control. Having routine treatments to key areas on your property has the potential to make your perimeter a tick-free zone. If you have questions about how outdoor tick spray stops indoor tick problems, we'd be happy to answer them. Or reach out to us for service.

I have been with them for several years. They are always responsive if any issues arise, and are completely on top of our quarterly treatments. I love it, because I don’t have…

Joanna P.

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