Not only are ticks a nuisance, but they’ve also led to a growing number of emergency room visits.
You can’t control weather conditions, human behavior, and wildlife movement — all of which contribute to the increased presence of ticks and the health risks they cause.
However, you can take proactive steps and create a “tick-free” zone to protect your family and pets.
“For the ideal tick-free zone, use year-round tick-preventative medications, remove leaf litter around the home, install wood chips and mulch near the transition zone between your yard and the forest, and, lastly, mow your yard,” explains Hamilton Allen, entomologist and vice president of technical and safety at Frederick, MD , explains that in areas that were a bit colder than usual, snow that took months to melt helped insulate ticks from the extremely cold air. “Snow keeps the temperature of the ground beneath it more stable, so even while air temperatures continue to drop, the ground underneath it stays warmer.
Since much of the Northeast and mid-Atlantic experienced that long-lasting snowpack or ‘snowcrete’ coverage, this effect was especially pronounced,” Smith explains. In the South, where the winter months brought above-average temperatures, more ticks were able to survive and reproduce.
The warmer winter weather also allowed ticks to expand their habitats, meaning areas where ticks have not historically been an issue will begin seeing more of these“The increase in tick populations is also about people spending more time and building homes in places where ticks are already active. Wildlife like deer and other animals that move through neighborhoods more often now can bring new ticks,” Carpenter explains.
“Deer ticks can transmit Lyme disease by climbing on a blade of grass and waiting for an animal or human to brush by. Other ticks, like the lone star ticks, can transmit ehrlichiosis and other serious infections,” says Dr. Linden Hu, infectious disease specialist and professor of immunology at Tufts University in They can lead to fever, rashes, fatigue, and other flu-like systems that often warrant a trip to an emergency room.
The good news is you can reduce their presence to keep your family and pets safe. Here are several expert tips:“Tall grass, poorly ventilated yards, and yards with a lot of shaded spots are most attractive to ticks,” says Carpenter. If you want to keep them away, keep your yard in optimal shape. Mow your lawn, and trim trees and shrubs that may create a lot of shade.
“Choose gravel, wood chips, or stone barriers instead, because dry, open materials make it harder for ticks to stay sheltered and humid,” Carpenter explains. If your goal is to prevent ticks from sticking around, then a cedar oil spray can do wonders. It has a strong scent that ticks don’t like. Carpenter recommends you spray shaded corners, yard edges, fence lines, and areas where neighboring pets or wildlife can pass through.
“Lavender, rosemary, and marigolds can be planted near where your family or pets spend the most time,” says Smith. Properties without fences are more prone to ticks because deer, rodents, or stray cats and dogs can move through the yard and bring ticks with them.
“Fencing solves part of the problem because it simply limits the amount of host animals that can pass through and drop ticks around the yard,” adds Carpenter.
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