Tick Infestations: Signs, Causes, and Prevention

Ticks may look like tiny insects, but they are actually members of the arachnid family. These small creatures live off the blood of people and animals and will bite you when you least expect it. While many people view ticks as annoying creatures that will leave behind an itchy bug bite, they are more dangerous than you might think. 

At Miche Pest Control, our main goal is to protect you and your family. Our full team of experienced pest control specialists knows what it takes to eliminate and prevent ticks from your property.

Signs Of A Tick Infestation

Ticks are extremely small. On average, a mature tick is only about an eighth of an inch long, and many ticks are much smaller than that. Because of their size, ticks can hide under almost any object to avoid detection. 

While not impossible, it is rare to see ticks crawling around your property. The most common way people find out they have a tick issue is by finding multiple ticks or tick bites on their skin or pets. When a tick bites you, it will embed its head into your skin. This makes it seem as if they are stuck on your skin. If you find one tick on your pet, there is a chance that it picked it up somewhere away from your home. However, if you or your pet are receiving multiple tick bites every time you walk outside, that is a good indication that your property is severely infested with ticks. 

Tick Bites Can Be Very Dangerous

While ticks are drinking the blood of various animals, they are likely to pick up a wide range of viruses and diseases. When a tick bites you, it injects a small amount of saliva into your body. If an infected tick bites you, it could easily spread these diseases to you. Some of the various illnesses that you can get from a tick bite include:

• Ehrlichiosis

• Powassan virus

• B. miyamotoi disease

• Tularemia

• Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever

• Lyme disease

The wood tick, also known as the American dog tick, is capable of spreading a neurological syndrome called tick paralysis. People who get this may experience trouble standing, vomiting, and heavy breathing. 

Factors That Cause Tick Infestations Around A Property

Ticks are the most active during the summer because they thrive in warm temperatures. Even though they like the warm weather, they prefer to stay out of direct sunlight and often hang out in shaded areas. If your yard has tall grass, excessive moisture, or a lot of trees and shrubs, ticks are more likely to be attracted to your property. You and your pets will also be more likely to pick up ticks if you travel through overgrown areas of your property. 

The Most Effective Way To Get Rid Of A Tick Infestation

If you believe that ticks have invaded your yard, there are a few things that you can do to make your yard seem less attractive. Some of the most popular ways to deter ticks from your yard include:

• Cut and trim the grass in your yard often

• Don't leave piles of leaves in your yard

• Don't stack firewood close to your house

If you have tried all of these tips and are still struggling with a tick population, you should give us a call today. At Miche Pest Control, when you contact us, we will work diligently to ensure that all ticks are promptly eliminated from your property. We will then work with you to come up with a comprehensive tick prevention plan that will keep these dangerous bugs from coming back.