Andover MA Tick Control & Lyme Disease Prevention

Here in New England, the word “tick” is practically synonymous with Lyme disease.

It’s so bad here that it was officially declared an epidemic in Massachusetts in 2015. And while everybody wants to be No. 1 at something, Andover leading the region in Lyme disease cases isn’t exactly anything anybody wants to brag about around here.

Andover MA tick control

But ticks are more than just Lyme disease carriers, though that’s the most well-known tick-borne illness in these parts. There are actually much more serious things one can catch from infected ticks, such as the rare Powassan virus, which is indeed present in our state. Then there’s Babesiosis, which is dangerous to both humans and dogs. You can even get paralysis from a tick bite. The list goes on. The gist, though, is that ticks are nothing to mess around with.

The Massachusetts Health Department has some general information about ticks and tick-borne illnesses and how to check yourself for ticks which is good information to have, but wouldn’t you rather avoid these little suckers all together?

More information > How to make a tick kit

Knowing there are so many dangerous tick-borne diseases out there can be enough to make one not want to go outside at all. But nobody should live like a hermit because of this. While I always encourage tick safety precautions, there’s definitely a way to enjoy the outdoors without becoming a total shut-in, and that is with professional tick control.

tick control Andover MA

As it turns out, time-released traditional barrier sprays that are specially developed to eliminate mosquitoes by 90% also work to eliminate up to up to 95% of adult ticks and fleas on contact. But reputable tick control experts take it to another level when it comes to ticks, because the safety of you and your loved ones is top priority.

Step One in Andover MA Tick Control

Your Andover MA tick control professional will begin with the same tick control methods as a mosquito barrier treatment — they will treat your entire property from the perimeter inward, covering all surfaces including decks (including the underside of them), rocks, landscaping, wood piles, garden gnomes, and foliage (avoiding flowers, of course). Givinge extra special attention to the areas where ticks like to hang out, such as tall grassy areas, where they’re usually breeding, resting, and well . . . waiting for dinner. It’s their job to make sure you’re not on the menu.

Andover Mass tick control

A tick control barrier spray is time released, which means it eliminates ticks, mosquitoes, and other biting insects on contact and keeps on working for three weeks, because it sticks to whatever it’s sprayed onto. That way, it prevents mosquito and tick eggs from hatching and further populating your yard, while also acting as a “force field” that eliminates any new bugs that encounter it.

But Andover Mass tick control doesn’t stop there.

Andover MA Tick Control: Step Two

Lyme Disease Andover MA While it’s true that not all ticks are carriers of scary diseases, the only way to know which ones are and aren’t carriers is after you’re bitten, and then you wait to see if you get any symptoms. Why take that gamble at all? That’s why tick control professionals prefer to err on the safe side and use a proactive approach in the tactic of tick tubes, which are small, biodegradable tubes stuffed with a treated cotton that are strategically placed around you yard. Mice and other small animals love this stuff and bring it back to their nests/burrows to make them nice and cozy. When a tick decides to make a meal out of one of these small animals, it is eliminated shortly afterward. It’s with this strategy that you can go “straight to the source” and get rid of these little monsters before they come anywhere near you, your family, or pets. By using this two-step Andover MA tick control strategy, your’re able to eliminate the tick population in your yard by up to 90%.

If You’re More Into The “Greener” Way of Life

natural tick control Andover MA Professional tick protection products are EPA registered, but I understand there are some people who want to be as eco-friendly as possible. Not a problem. Reputable tick control companies have specially developed an all-natural tick control solutions with essential oils. While it’s more of a repellent than an eliminator, an all-natural formula is still highly effective — most folks notice a reduction in mosquitoes, ticks, and other yard pests by up to 80% using this method. Also time released, I highly recommend reapplication every two weeks instead of the three that our traditional barrier spray would need.

Dave Macchia, tick control enthusiast — Dave Macchia, Central Mass tick control enthusiast

Simply, the best tick-borne disease prevention for your family in Andover, Mass, is with professional, year-round tick control efforts.

Impact of Wildfires on Tick Populations

With recent worldwide media coverage of the Australian wildfires, we have seen first-hand the impact on koalas. What do the fires mean for tick populations?

Will there be a reduction in ticks? There are actually a few ways that insects, including ticks, will be affected by these vast fires. Perhaps the effect will not be fully felt for years.

marlborough ma tick control

Slow-moving insects will be unable to escape the fires.

Of course, flying insects stand a much better chance of getting away from forest fires. Any slow-moving, crawling insects that are in areas of the Australian wildfires will not be able to escape. Beetles, for instance, might have smaller populations focused in smaller areas where the fire has left every inch of forest charred in its wake. It is believed that some rarer species of insects could become extinct, but it could take years to determine insect extinctions caused by these fires. Ticks, among slow crawlers, which attach themselves to leaves and underbrush on the forest floor, will be eliminated in areas of fire.

beetle

Southern states in the U.S. have actually decreased tick populations with fire.

Though it is not as prevalent over the last few years as it used to be, Georgia and other southern U.S. states have seen great reductions in tick populations resulting from yearly scheduled controlled burning of forest underbrush. There, the most prominent tick is the Lone Star tick. Controlled burns are typically done to rid forests of potential wildfire tinder, in an effort to prevent large brush fires like those we have been seeing in Australia. As an aside, those fires work to decrease tick populations, and lessen the odds of tick-borne illnesses.

will wildfires affect tick populations

What other impact might wildfires have on insect populations?

Aside from burning insects out of house and home, wildfires can have a several other effects on populations. For instance, insects, which feed on certain vegetation will see a decline in their food sources. On the flip side, flies, which by nature work to decompose animals and vegetation, will see short-term benefits after the fires. Ash debris and loss of forest shade over streams will have a negative affect on near-water-dwelling insects, such as mayflies. Areas of streams that are open to sunlight will lose their healthy levels of humidity required for stream ecology.

It is not wise for us to depend upon burning of forest underbrush, or sweeping wildfires to eliminate Central Mass tick populations. The best tick protection you can offer your family in Central Mass is with professional tick control.

Woburn MA Tick Control for Lyme Prevention

Ticks really suck. Both literally and figuratively. Living in Massachusetts, you likely know that Lyme disease is rampant here. But there’s another, much worse tick-transmitted disease on the rise, Powassan virus.

While it is rare, it’s often fatal, and CDC reports that between 2007-2016, there were 16 cases of Powassan in Massachusetts. In fact, the CDC recently in May 2018 that diseases from both ticks and mosquitoes have more than tripled since 2004, and that rate is steadily increasing. In this report, the CDC also quite frankly states that about 80% of vector control organizations lack critical prevention and control capabilities.

Woburn MA tick control

Fortunately, reputable tick control companies pick up the slack where the government falls behind, and with a barrier treatment, you’re protected from both mosquitoes and ticks in your yard by nearly 90% for up to 21 days at a time — guaranteed. But if it’s specific protection from ticks that you’re looking for, professional Woburn tick control goes above and beyond the standard barrier treatment to make sure ticks in every stage of life are eliminated. By enlisting the help of furry friends.

How Woburn MA tick control works

Just like a professional mosquito barrier treatment, tick control specialists treat the perimeter of your yard first with a traditional barrier spray, working from the perimeter of your yard inward, being sure to cover all surface areas, including pieces where ticks like to hang out, like tall grass, leaf piles, wood piles, and generally anywhere they’d be likely to hitch a ride on any unsuspecting host walking by. A barrier treatment alone will eliminate nearly 90% of adult ticks on contact and continue to eliminate them for up to three weeks, but then your tick control technician will go a step further to make sure ticks in their younger life stages are eliminated, too.

tick control Woburn MA

Enter tick tubes for year-round tick control

tick tubes Woburn MA These are small, biodegradable tubes that are stuffed with cotton treated with permethrin, a mild insecticide. Contrary to their name, “deer ticks,” the ones primarily responsible for Lyme disease, don’t feed off deer most of the time. In their larval and nymph stages, most deer ticks actually get their blood meal from small mammals in your yard, specifically mice, squirrels, and rabbits. These critters love to take the cotton back to their nests to make them nice and cozy, and when they do so, the permethrin rubs off on their fur. Not to worry — it’s harmless to them, but to ticks it’s fatal. When a young tick tries to take a bite out of one of these small animals, they get exposed to the chemical and die off.

By implementing tick tubes, you’re both halting the life cycle of the tick population in your yard and giving the critters some insulation for their homes. And for you — it gives you the peace of mind knowing that the chances of you getting infected with a tick-borne disease in your yard are reduced drastically. This professional method of Woburn tick control is nearly 90% effective for up to 21 days, making it the best on the market.

Prefer something a little “greener” for your Woburn tick control?

all natural tick control Reputable tick control products are EPA-registered, but I understand that there are some people who won’t settle for anything less than 100% natural. That’s why tick control companies have developed an all-natural barrier treatment solution that is based on essential oils and mixed in-house. It is applied to your yard the same way as a traditional barrier treatment — with a special mist-blower backpack.

Like the traditional formula, an all-natural solution eliminates bugs on contact, but after it’s dry (about 30 minutes) it acts like a repellent, essentially confusing and “chasing” the bugs away. It’s a slightly less potent treatment than traditional formulas, but homeowners who elect this method report around 80% reduction of yard pests. Because of its botanical makeup, the all-natural formula breaks down a little faster than the traditional, therefore I recommend re-application every two weeks instead of three.

With tick-borne illnesses on the rise in Central Massachusetts, I recommend professional at-home tick control for all families. Whether you choose the traditional tick barrier spray, or an all-natural solution, professional tick control is a must for the health of your family.

Take Sudbury MA Tick Control to the Next Level

Ticks. Just the word can make a person shudder. Especially here in New England, where Lyme disease is more prevalent than anywhere else in the country. In fact, between 2000-2015, Middlesex County had 8,366 confirmed cases of Lyme. It got so bad that in 2015, Lyme disease was officially declared an epidemic in Massachusetts.

Sudbury MA tick control Unfortunately, there are many other scary tick-borne illnesses that we need to watch out for, including Babesiosis of which Midldlesex County was declared a hot spot, and the rare, but fatal Powassan virus, which has been rising in our area.

So what’s a person to do? Nobody wants to see themselves or their loved ones get sick from a tick. The East Middlesex Mosquito Control Project has a bunch of educational material about ticks and the diseases they carry, but who’s going to sit and read through all of that? And if you’re already infected, that information doesn’t do you much good. The bottom line is, while many tick-borne illnesses are curable, the best protection is to avoid them altogether and stop ticks before they get comfortable in your yard and exposed to your family.

That’s where professional Sudbury MA tick control comes in.

Sudbury tick control Not only does professional barrier tick protection help eliminate up to 90% of mosquitoes with a specially formulated barrier treatment, it so happens that the same micro encapsulated solution eliminates up to 90% of adult ticks and fleas on contact, too. It’s pretty powerful stuff, but when it comes to Sudbury MA tick control, and you can go one step further to protect you and your loved ones from these little monsters.

The First Step in Sudbury Tick Control

tick control Sudbury MA Following the barrier treatment process used for mosquito control, your tick control professional will distribute a special bug-eliminating formula to treat surfaces in your yard that include shrubbery, foliage (avoiding flowers), around and underneath decks and patios, and especially tall grass. Special attention is given to the tall grass areas on your property for Sudbury tick control since this is typically where you can find them breeding, resting and waiting for their next blood meal. It’s a top priority to make sure it isn’t you!

Since a professional barrier treatment formula is time released, it eliminates ticks, mosquitoes, and other creepy-crawlies for three weeks before needing reapplication. This way it also prevents future ticks by stopping their eggs from hatching, which puts a halt to the population cycle.

The Sudbury Tick Control “Bonus Round”

Lyme disease Sudbury This is what I call our “going straight to the source” strategy. Babesiosis, Lyme disease, and other tick-borne illnesses are transmitted by deer ticks and others, and no, not all ticks are carriers. But you don’t really know if you’ve been bitten by an infected tick until it happens and you become ill. Is that a gamble anyone really wants to take?

Enter tick tubes. These are small, biodegrade tubes stuffed with a treated cotton that are strategically placed around your property for mice and other small animals to find and bring back to cozy up their nests and burrows. They love this stuff. When a tick bites one of these animals, it’s eliminated shortly afterwards. This extra, proactive step reputable tick control professionals take helps eliminate the tick population in your yard by up to 90%. By going “straight to the source,” this tactic of Sudbury tick control makes sure they’re gone before they come anywhere near people or pets.

Looking for an All-Natural Tick Control Option?

Sudbury natural tick control While professional tick control products are EPA registered, I know that some people prefer to be as eco-conscious and “green” as possible. That’s why tick control companies have developed special, all-natural barrier treatment formulas, based on essential oils. It acts more like a repellant than an eliminator, basically “chasing” these little buggers out of your yard. Also a time-released formula, I recommend re-treating with an all-natural solution ever two weeks. How effective is it? Pretty darn good. Most customers notice a reduction in yard pests anywhere between 65-80%

No matter if you decide on the ultimate professional barrier tick protection, or an all-natural solution, expert protection is always recommended for your Sudbury MA home and family. Don’t gamble on your family’s health. Choose year-round tick control in Sudbury!

Have peace of mind with professional Marlborough MA tick control

There is absolutely NOTHING good about ticks. They’re gross little creepy-crawly bloodsucking bugs that have the potential to transmit some seriously scary diseases, including Lyme disease which, as you probably know, is all over the Northeast.

Actually, it’s so bad here that Massachusetts officially declared it an epidemic in 2005. Last year, ticks were so bad that Boston 25 News called it a “tick explosion.” There are other terrible tick-borne diseases here, though, that aren’t Lyme. Things like Babesiosis, that is dangerous to both humans and dogs, and the very scary Powassan virus, which is on the rise.

marlborough ma tick control

In fact, in May 2018 the CDC released a report stating that diseases from mosquitoes and ticks have more than tripled in the United States since 2004, and unfortunately that rate does not appear to be slowing down. Further, the CDC also outright states that 80% of government vector-control organizations are not prepared to deal with this new onslaught of vector-borne diseases. All one has to do is go to the City of Marlborough’s website and do a search for “ticks” and it’ll yield little more than a PDF document, and Mass.gov just offers basic info, which is informational, but on the whole, not proactive in protecting you or your family.

Fortunately, reputable mosquito control professionals pick up the slack where the government falls behind, and with a barrier treatment spray, you’re protected from both mosquitoes and ticks in your yard by nearly 90% for up to 21 days at a time. But if it’s specifically tick protection that you’re looking for, professional Marlborough MA tick control goes above and beyond the standard barrier treatment to make sure ticks in every stage of life are eliminated. Your tick control company will take a two step approach, and enlist the help of some furry friends.

Step one in professional Marlborough MA tick control

Beginning with the same process as a traditional mosquito barrier treatment, treating the perimeter of your yard with an EPA-registered formula on all surfaces except flowers, and work their way inward. They treat bushes, trees, the undersides of leaves, woodpiles, on and under decks . . . basically everywhere. If you have any tall, grassy areas in your yard, they’ll give those special attention, because that’s prime tick territory. It’s where they’re most likely to be found, resting, breeding, and waiting to hitch a ride on their next blood meal. It’s your tick control expert’s job to make sure that’s not you or your loved ones, two legs or four.

Since barrier spray formulas are micro encapsulated and therefore time-released, you’ll be protected from ticks (and mosquitoes, and other biting bugs) for up to 21 days. And since it adheres to everything it’s applied to, it prevents existing tick eggs from hatching, thus stopping the life cycle. Just like a mosquito barrier treatment, recommended reapplication is every three weeks for maximum efficiency.

But then there’s the “the bonus round.”

Phase Two of great Marlborough MA tick control — a.k.a. “the bonus round”

tick control marlborough If you do your research online, you’ll find that other outdoor pest control companies stop at a spray when it comes to ticks. Reputable tick control companies take it a step further and use the help of the common field mouse, who is a cute, innocent, and very stealthy “helper” in the fight against ticks. Contrary to their name, “deer ticks” actually pick up things like Lyme disease not from deer, but most often from mice, bunnies, and other small critters who call your and your neighbors’ yards home. This usually happens when ticks are in their larva or nymph stage of life. So tick control technicians will strategically place these small, biodegradable tubes called “tick tubes” in places they frequent.

Tick tubes are stuffed with cotton that is treated with a mild insecticide called permethrin, which is harmless to the small animals but lethal to ticks. The idea is (and this works impressively well) that the mice or other small mammal finds this cotton and bring it back to their nest to cozy it up. In doing so, the permethrin rubs off on their fur, and when a young tick attempts to get its blood meal from one of these animals, it encounters the chemical and is eliminated shortly thereafter. This “straight to the source” approach allows tick control professionals to get rid of ticks in all stages of life and thus, halt their life cycle in your yard, ensuring 90% or more tick elimination overall.

If you prefer to stay as “green” as possible. . .

all natural marlborough ma tick control Tick control professionals also offer an all-natural solution. While all reputable tick control companies’ products are EPA-registered, there are some people that won’t settle for anything less than 100% “green.” That’s why Marlborough MA tick control professionals also offer an all-natural barrier treatment solution for your unwanted pests.

Based on natural oils, this more “crunchy” approach focuses more on repelling these little nuisances than eliminating them. It’s not quite as effective as a traditional mosquito and tick control solution, but it’s pretty darn close — most homeowners notice a reduction in yard pests between 65-80%. Also time-released, this application is recommended to be repeated every two weeks, instead of the traditional three.

Billerica Tick Control – Protect Your Home and Family in Billerica MA

Living in New England, you’re likely aware that Lyme disease is everywhere here.

It’s such a big problem that in 2015 it was officially declared an epidemic in Massachusetts. But there are many more tick-borne illnesses on the rise in our area, including Babesiosis (of which Middlsex County seems to be a hotspot) and the the rare, but fatal Powassan virus, which CBS Boston has increasingly been reporting on.

Billerica tick control

While not all ticks are infected with and carry scary diseases, do you really want to get bitten by one and take the chance? Even Billerica Wicked Local has been publishing things about how officials are urging people to be more vigilant about ticks, but their suggestions of “using tick and mosquito repellent, wearing long sleeves and long pants outdoors, and performing periodic checks for ticks on your body” are well-intentioned, but simply not realistic. The Town of Billerica, while also well-intentioned, doesn’t help their citizens much in the way of tick advice, either. Their “Public Health Nurse” section of their website consists of links to elsewhere and PDF downloads.

Billerica tick control step one: Barrier spray

When it comes down to it, when the weather is nice out, who wants to be bundled up in their own yard? That’s where professional Billerica tick control comes in. It is essential to your whole family’s health that you hire a trusted tick control expert.

Billerica MA tick control

Not only do professional tick control companies help eliminate up to 90% of mosquitoes with a specially formulated barrier treatment, the same formula conveniently eliminates up to 90% of adult ticks and fleas on contact, too. It’s pretty powerful stuff, but when it comes to Billerica tick control, you can go one step further to protect you and your loved ones from ticks and tick-borne illnesses.

Following the same barrier treatment process used for mosquito control, your tick control expert will distribute a special bug-eliminating formula to treat surfaces in your yard that include shrubbery, foliage (avoiding flowers), around and underneath decks and patios, and especially tall grass. Special attention is given to the tall grass areas on your property for Billerica tick control since this is typically where you can find them breeding, resting and waiting for their next blood meal. It’s your tick control professional’s job to make sure it’s not you!

Since special barrier spray formulas are designed to be time released, your property will be protected for three weeks once the treatment is dispersed. This barrier treatment has the added benefit of preventing the eggs of ticks from hatching and thus puts a stop to the next generation of these pests. For continuous, worry-free tick and mosquito control in on your property, choose a seasonal plan so you won’t have to worry about rescheduling. You don’t even need to be home when your tick control technicians visit, and they’ll always leave a confirmation of service before we leave.

But Billerica tick control doesn’t stop there.

Step two in Billerica tick control: Going straight to the source

lyme disease billerica Lyme Disease and other tick-born illnesses caused by bacteria transmitted most often by the deer tick, but other ticks carry disease, too. Not every tick is a carrier of bad pathogens, but it’s best to err on the safe side. Ticks become infected when they feed on small animals, usually mice, that are infected. By going straight to the source through the implementation of tick tubes, you will be able to stop the cycle of disease where it would normally start. That way, you’re eliminating ticks before they come anywhere near people and pets.

What’s a tick tube? Well, it’s a small tube with biodegradable tubing that’s filled with cotton treated with a solution fatal to ticks. Tubes are strategically placed around your property, and mice and other small animals find them and bring the cotton back to their burrows to make them nice and cozy. When a hungry tick bites and feeds off one of these small animals, it’s gone from this world and one fewer tick to worry about potentially causing anyone damage. These Billerica tick control tubes are a proactive measure that reputable tick control companies take, and help reduce up to 90% of tick populations before they’re able to multiply.

Prefer an all-natural tick control alternative?

natural tick control billerica Not a problem. Reputable tick control companies also offer an all-natural barrier treatment. Professional tick control products are EPA registered, but I understand there are some people who want to be as eco-friendly as possible. Tick control experts have developed all-natural forumlas with essential oils and a few secret ingredients for those who prefer to go this route. While it’s more of a repellant than an eliminator, an all-natural formula is still highly effective —most homeowners notice a reduction in mosquitoes, ticks, and other yard pests by up to 80% using this method. Also time released, I highly recommend reapplication every two weeks instead of the three that a traditional barrier spray would need.

Acton Tick Control is a Job for the Pros

Ticks are no joke.

Though tiny, those little critters can have some serious impact if an infected one bites you or your loved ones, whether they have two logs or four.

Acton tick control If you live here, you likely know that Lyme disease is a big problem all over New England. According to Acton Wicked Local, there were there were 4500 cases of Lyme disease in Massachusetts in 2016 alone.

But that’s not the only one — there are many other tick-borne illnesses we need to watch out for, including Babseiosis, which is more concentrated in Middlesex County than anywhere else in the state.

While Acton is a part of the Middlesex Tick Task Force, that basically tells you what to do after you get bitten by a tick. And that same Wicked Local article says that public health officials claim “A little bit of vigilance, and some bug spray, can go a long way in reducing the health risks associated with ticks.” That’s a nice sentiment, but it takes more than “vigilance and bug spray” to prevent tick-borne illnesses.

Wouldn’t you rather just avoid these little monsters all together?

That’s when you call a professional Acton tick control company.

Acton tick control should be taken seriously, because these little suckers are nothing to mess around with.

As it happens, the same specially formulated barrier spray treatment that is used for mosquitoes also eliminates adult ticks and fleas by up to 90%. But with ticks, professionals take it one step further to protect people and pets from tick and tick-borne diseases.

Acton Tick Control: Step One

tick control Acton MA The first thing a reputable tick control company will do for Acton tick control is treat the perimeter of your yard and work inward, just like a traditional barrier treatment. Making sure to treat all the foliage while avoiding flowers, plus surfaces around and underneath patios and decks. But for the ticks, extra attention is given to the tall grassy areas, because that’s where they usually hang out — breeding, resting, and well, waiting for dinner. You don’t want it to be you!

Since a barrier treatment formula is time released, it eliminates ticks, mosquitoes, and other creepy-crawlies for three weeks before needing reapplication. This way it also prevents future ticks by stopping their eggs from hatching, which puts a halt to the next generation,

Acton Tick Control: Step Two

Lyme disease Acton Lyme Disease and other tick born illnesses are caused by bacteria transmitted most often by the deer tick, but other ticks are carriers, too. Of course, not all ticks are carriers of dangerous pathogens, but it’s best to err on the safe side. Ticks become infected when they feed on small animals, such as mice, that are infected. By going straight to the source through the implementation of tick tubes, you are able to stop the cycle of disease where it would normally start.

Tick tubes are small, biodegradable tubes strategically placed around your yard. They are stuffed with a treated cotton that entice mice to bring back to their nests. When a tick bites one of these mice, it is eliminated shortly afterward. This extra, proactive step is offered by your tick control professionals for Acton tick control, helping eliminate the tick population in your yard by up to 90%. This method gets rid of ticks way before they come anywhere near you or your loved ones.

All-Natural Tick Control Solution

Acton MA tick control Professional tick control products are EPA registered, but if you consider yourself a little more “crunchy” and prefer an all-natural solution, they are available. An all-natural formula with essential oils at its base, repels rather than eliminates, yard pests. Most folks notice a reduction in yard pests between 65-80% using this method. Also time-released, I recommend reapplying this formula after two weeks.

Ticks are no joke. They should be taken very seriously for the health of your family. I recommend professional year-round tick control for your Acton MA home.

What do ticks look like? Can they swim?

Ticks are common in Central Mass, and most of our residents have come in contact with one at one time or another.

In many ways, ticks elude us. What do ticks look like? Do ticks have wings? Can ticks swim? Even though ticks are rampant in our area, many of us still have questions about tick habits and physical traits. Folks still wonder if they fly. How they survive winter. Here is a common list of tick questions and answers.

what do ticks look like?

What do ticks look like?

Ticks are arachnids, just like spiders. This means they have four sets of legs. They are in the sub class Acari, along with mites. Their coloring can range from light gray-ish white, brown, black, yellow, and brownish-red. Ticks are a flat, oval shape when not engorged with a tasty blood meal.

How big are ticks?

Ticks have three distinct life stages throughout their two-year life cycle. Larvae ticks are very small, and can be unnoticeable. In this stage of life, they are about the size of a grain of sand. In their next stage of life, nymph ticks have grown to the size of a sesame seed. Adult ticks are similar in size to an apple seed.

Do ticks have wings?

Ticks do not have wings. They do not fly or jump. Ticks quest by attaching themselves to plants or limbs. They hold on to leaves and grass with two sets of their legs, and outstretch their other legs awaiting a host to pass. If you are wondering how ticks cover so much territory, it is because they are transported by their hosts – animals and humans. The sheer number of ticks in Central Mass might make it seem like they are fast travelers. This is untrue without a host. Ticks are just – everywhere!

Can ticks swim?

This is an interesting question, and a common one! While ticks do not swim, they can survive submerged in water for two to three days. Do not try to kill ticks by drowning them in the bathtub or swimming pool. The only surefire method of destroying a tick in water, is by flushing them down the toilet.

Also read: What repels ticks naturally?

Do ticks die in the winter?

Do ticks die in the winter? No, they do not! Even in cold Central Mass winter temperatures, ticks are resourceful and will survive in nests of other animals or even underground. Ticks will lie dormant in winter, waiting for warm weather to return, so they can invade our favorite outdoor spaces.

Can a tick bite kill you?

Tick bites can result in illnesses, such as Lyme disease, and Rocky Mountain spotted fever, which can make us very sick. Powassan virus is another tick-borne illness, which can cause a deadly brain infection. Even people, who have lived through Powassan can remain ill, or even die from the effects. Recently in North Carolina, former US Senator, Kay Hagan, died three years after contracting Powassan, which resulted in Encephalitis. She remained ill for three years before passing away.

Ticks are not just a nasty nuisance in Central Massachusetts. They are effective questing insects, who live for their next blood meal. The single best way to protect your family is with year-round Central Mass tick protection, which includes tick tubes in the winter.

Natick Tick Control – Natick Massachusetts

You likely know that in all of the Northeast, Lyme disease is a huge problem here.

But there’s another, much worse tick-vectored illness on the rise, Powassan virus. In fact, the CDC recently reported that diseases from both ticks and mosquitoes have more than tripled since 2004. In this report, the CDC also quite plainly states that about 80% of vector control organizations lack critical prevention and control capabilities.

Natick tick control - Natick Massachusetts WBUR was reporting on the spread of Lyme disease in Massachusetts and what little there was being done about it. You don’t have to look further than the Town of Natick’s website to see that all they have about ticks is a list of downloadable PDFs.

So if the government isn’t prepared to protect its citizens from mosquito- and tick-borne illnesses, what can a private citizen do? Call a professional tick control company! Professional tick control is guaranteed to be nearly 90% effective for three weeks at a time. And with effective Natick tick control, efforts can be taken it a step further to make sure ticks don’t go anywhere near you and your family. With these two steps, you’ll have the peace of mind knowing that while the government can’t protect you and your family from ticks and mosquitoes, you can.

Natick tick control, phase one.

The first phase of our Natick tick control is the same as a traditional mosquito barrier treatment — your property will be treated from the perimeter inward, applying an EPA-registered formula on everything except flowers and other bee-friendly plants. It’s all covered — bushes, decks and beneath them, leaves, trees, woodpiles, you name it. For ticks, the spray is concentrate even more on tall grassy areas and places like leaf piles, because that’s prime tick territory. You’re mostly to find them in those places breeding, resting, and waiting to hitch a ride on the next tasty meal that walks by. We’re here to make sure that’s not you.

Natick tick control

Since the barrier treatment formula is micro encapsulated, it’s time-released, meaning you’ll be protected from ticks (and other biting bugs) for up to three weeks at a time. It’s odorless and colorless, and adheres to everything it’s applied to, therefore it prevents existing tick eggs from hatching. This stops the life cycle of the tick population in your yard. Like a mosquito barrier treatment, reapplication every three weeks is recommended for maximum efficiency. Don’t worry, there are seasonal packages available so you don’t forget to reschedule.

But don’t just stop with Natick tick control spray!

Natick tick control, phase two.

Natick Massachusetts tick control While Lyme disease is most prevalent here, and while not all ticks carry diseases, the ones that carry Lyme are the deer tick. But contrary to their name, the main blood meal for a nymph deer tick is actually mice. To eliminate ticks in their younger stages, reputable Natick tick control companies employ a special tactic called tick tubes. These are small, biodegradable tubes stuffed with cotton that is treated with permethrin, which is harmless to them but fatal to ticks. These tubes entice mice, who love to take the cotton back to their burrows to get cozy. The permethrin rubs off on their fur, and when a tick tries to attack these mice, it is eliminated shortly afterward. It’s with this proactive measure that we stop ticks at their source so that they don’t come anywhere near you or your loved ones, and is nearly 90% (possibly more) effective at reducing the tick population on your property.

Ask about an all-natural Natick tick control barrier treatment!

all natural Natick tick control While any reputable tick control company’s products will be EPA-registered, many also offer an all-natural barrier treatment solution for those of us who prefer to stay as “green” as possible. These formulas are developed with essential oils as a base. These solutions also eliminate on contact, but after that acts as a repellant, that “chases” the bugs away.

Lyme Disease in Children and Teens

With an estimated 300,000 newly reported cases of Lyme in the United States each year, 25% are children. Lyme remains so misunderstood and debated in the worldwide medical community, those numbers are believed to be even higher.

With much controversy surrounding the diagnosis and treatment of Lyme disease, children are caught in the shuffle, often falling in the cracks. Some are outright denied Lyme testing by doctors, who proclaim it is unnecessary, because the disease doesn’t occur where they live. Imagine if this were your child.

children and teens with Lyme — There is much mystery surrounding Lyme disease in children and teens.

Facts about Lyme disease in children and teens:

There are an average of 205 reported cases of Lyme disease in children each day in the United States – 75,000 per year.
That’s more than all cases of pediatric cancer, epilepsy, type 1 diabetes, and Cystic Fibrosis diagnoses combined.

Children between ages 5 and 9 are at greatest risk for Lyme disease.
Kids are more active outdoors, and are closer to the ground. Boys are at greater risk than girls in this age group.

Children often do no present with the tell-tale bullseye rash.
Pediatric Lyme disease specialist, Dr. Charles Ray Jones, reports that less than 10% of his 15,000 pediatric Lyme disease cases actually had the bullseye rash.

Symptoms of Lyme disease in children are difficult to pin down.
There is no guideline for symptoms of Lyme disease in children, as they are sporadic, and can present in very different ways. Loss of focus, inability to sleep, fatigue, difficulty in school, behavioral changes, and joint pain are a few of the symptoms that kids might endure with Lyme.

Lyme disease in kids — Kids are more susceptible to neuropsychiatric Lyme symptoms.

It is suggested that children might be more susceptible to neurological symptoms of Lyme.
It is theorized that if children are bitten on the head and neck, that neurological Lyme can occur, since the bite is closer to the nervous system. Lyme infection can act as a trigger for neuropsychiatric disorders, which can cause OCD, Anorexia, nervous tics, and others.

Children and teens with Lyme suffer socially.
Illness and symptoms of Lyme, along with the stress they create for children and teens, will often lead to loss of friends. Depression is very common, and as many as 41% of children and teens with Lyme disease report having had suicidal thoughts.

Proper diagnoses require more than traditional Lyme disease testing for children.
Children are commonly mis-diagnosed, or not diagnosed at all because traditional testing methods can come back negative, even though Lyme is present. A Lyme specialist will order additional testing required for the proper diagnosis of Lyme disease in children.

As diagnosing and treating Lyme disease in children is an evolving science, it is incumbent on parents to advocate for their sick child to rule in or out Lyme. It is also important to protect our children from the threat of Lyme and other tick-borne illnesses with professional tick control around our homes. The single best hope for our children is preventing Lyme disease in the first place.