The populations of the two species of ticks known to spread Lyme disease to humans has doubled in the past two decades, according to the Science Mag article Lyme disease-carrying ticks are now in half of all U.S. counties. Lyme disease affects around 300,000 Americans each year and the number of cases reported have tripled in the past two decades. The northeast/New England is still the worst affected area, but the increased number of tick sightings in the Southeast and Midwest has people worried.
What can you do to prevent ticks and bites?
Ticks usually reside in areas of thick vegetation so avoiding piles of leaves, using a strong repellent, and bathing after hiking are usually enough to avoid being bitten as a human. Your pets can also contract Lyme disease and are much more likely to be bitten by a tick. If you are worried about your children or pets being bitten ticks in your backyard, Cayce Exterminating’s mosquito treatments can also kill ticks.
Our yard mosquito treatment done on monthly basis has shown great results but it still takes help from owner. Since ticks must be in areas of high humidity in order to survive, they are most commonly found in grassy, brushy, wooded, and shaded areas. Therefore, reducing the humidity in these areas by keeping grass well-clipped, removing brush, and pruning trees to allow more sunlight to penetrate to the soil surface will discourage ticks from becoming established in these areas.
Ask your vet about flea and tick treatments for your pets. Veterinary medicine has come a long way in the past decade and instead of using the old, topical treatments, oral medications are available to keep your pets flea and tick free. Feel free to contact Cayce Exterminating if you are concerned about ticks.