Ticks

What are ticks? 

Ticks are blood-feeding arachnids. Blood is the only source of nutrition for ticks; their primary hosts are animals, but they will also attach themselves to and feed on people if we cross paths. Ticks have a singular, soft oval-shaped body, eight legs, and lack wings. Their specialized mouthpart allows ticks to cut through the skin of their host. They then insert a barbed, tube-like structure to feed and securely anchor themselves to their host. As they feed, the tick’s body swells and becomes engorged with blood.

Once they are full, they will fall off their host to the ground to molt and go through their next life stage, or adults will lay their eggs. Ticks go through a four-stage life cycle, with each life stage requiring a new host to feed on.

Are ticks dangerous?

Ticks are efficient vectors of diseases, which make these pests dangerous to both people and animals. Ticks feed slowly, over a period of days, which allows them to easily pass any diseases they carry to each host they feed on. Some of the most common diseases that ticks are responsible for spreading include Lyme disease, tularemia, anaplasmosis, and Rocky Mountain spotted fever.

Why do I have a tick problem?

Ticks can become a problem on any property because they travel from place to place on their animal hosts. Wild animals, your neighbor’s pets, or stray animals can introduce ticks to any property they travel through or spend time in.

Adult ticks will fall off the back of their host to lay their eggs in an area with damp soil. Properties with lots of leaf litter, woodpiles, overgrown shrubs, tall grass, and wooded areas foster tick infestations.

Where will I find ticks?

Ticks are unable to fly or jump. They wait on the top of grasses, weeds, and other vegetation for a host to pass by. They will wait for a host to brush past them, then crawl onto them and begin feeding.

Some of the most common places that people and animals come into contact with ticks include:

• Wooded areas
• The edges of walking trails
• Along fences, lines, or ditches
• Fields and other areas of tall grass

Ticks are rarely a major issue inside our homes because most species require their eggs to have contact with damp soil in order for them to develop. If you find a tick in your home, it is usually because it has fallen off yourself or your pet.

How do I get rid of ticks?

Get rid of ticks from your yard with the help of the locally owned and operated Master Mosquito Control. We know how frustrating it can be to have a yard overrun with biting ticks. Our professionals protect properties in southern New Hampshire and northern Massachusetts from dangerous and annoying outdoor pests like ticks.

Through personalized services, a deep knowledge of the local areas we serve, and effective pest control methods, we will solve your property’s pest problems. To learn more about our tick control options, reach out to Master Mosquito Control today!

How can I prevent ticks in the future?

Prevent ticks with the help of the professionals at Master Mosquito Control and our useful prevention tips:

• Keep your lawn mowed short and cut vegetation back from your home’s exterior.
• If wooded areas surround your property, keep them cut back.
• Remove fallen leaves and excess piles of wood from your yard.
• Place your pets on a year-round vet-approved tick preventative.
• Remove bird feeders, keep lids on trash cans and compost bins, and pick up leftover pet food to deter rodents and wild animals from foraging for food on your property.
• Inspect yourself and your pets for ticks before coming inside.
• Vacuum your house regularly to pick up any stray ticks that do find a way into your home.