Homeowners beware – spring is just around the corner, and as the weather begins to heat up, the ticks begin to wake up. A study performed by the CDC shows an increase in the amount of deer (blacklegged), lone star, and American dog ticks in February 2019. As a result, there has been a spike in both Lyme disease, and Rocky Mountain spotted fever cases.

Not only are these ticks showing up in greater number, they’re also beginning to show up earlier in the year. Knowing how to protect yourself, your family, and your pets from ticks this spring is essential, and the first step in doing just that is creating a tick-free environment in and around your home. Here is how you can do just that:

Step #1: Maintain a Clean Yard

The perfect environment for ticks has 3 things: moisture, shade, and a place to hide. Maintaining a clean yard makes the environment nearly uninhabitable, and it is the first step in keeping these pests away from your home. Remove any leftover leaves, sticks, and twigs from the fall, cut the grass early and often, and pick up any brush where ticks or tick hosts (chipmunks, squirrels, and mice) could hide.

Step #2: Check Once Then Check Again

Ticks are most prevalent in shaded, wooded areas where they’re provided with the protection they desire. If you or your pets go on a hike through the woods, or through an area with tree cover and brush, upon coming inside you will want to check yourself, and your pets for ticks. One tick is all it takes before you have an infestation on your hands, so when you check, check twice!

Step #3: Create a Buffer Zone

Another way to keep the ticks away is to create a 2-3ft ”buffer zone” using mulch or gravel (two things ticks hate) around the exterior of your lawn. Doing so will prevent from migrating into your lawn, protecting your home, your family, and your pets.

Step #4: Call The Experts in Tick Control

The best way to protect your home from ticks this spring is to call the professionals at Superior Pest Defense! Our barrier shield program will protect your lawn, your home, and your loved ones from the havoc a tick infestation can cause.