The warm weather is here and we’re back to spending time outdoors. Unfortunately, while we’re outside there’s a better than average chance we’ll encounter ticks. Currently, there are three kinds of ticks that are most commonly found on humans on Long Island. These include black-legged ticks (aka, deer ticks), Lone Star ticks, and the American dog tick, also known as the wood tick.
Lone Star ticks are most commonly found in wooded areas of Suffolk County. While they don’t transmit Lyme disease, they can spread Rocky Mountain spotted fever and meat allergies. They can also transmit STARI (Southern Tick-Associated Rash Illness). They originated from the southern United States, but have slowly crept northward due to climate change.
The other tick species also transmit tick-borne diseases including Lyme, Babesiosis, and Ehrlichia.
The best way to deal with tick bites is to avoid them; so it’s important to practice tick control in your gardening. Keep a three-foot barrier between play areas and wooded areas. Keep grass trimmed low and check everyone before they come inside for ticks.
Managing wildlife is important in the fight against ticks. Keep your yard neat and free of leaf litter, long grasses, and brush piles in order to make your yard as unpalatable to ticks as possible. Wildlife such as domestic chickens and similar fowl—including ducks, geese, turkeys, and guinea hens—also eat ticks and can help keep your yard and garden tick-free.
Finally, spraying for ticks is an easy way you can help reduce the number of ticks on your property. Having your yard treated early and regularly can make play areas safer for children and pets. These sprays can reduce all three kinds of ticks, including dog ticks! Contact us today to schedule a spray for your yard to help keep you, and your loved ones, safe as they play in the summer sun.