Ticks are mysterious, gross, and kind of creepy, which means there’s bound to be some myths lurking around about them.
Fire. Infected saliva. Blood sucking.
All good stuff, right? The more you know, the more you can protect yourself and your family.
Let’s get to some tick facts and myths.
Tick Myth: Ticks Burrow Under Your Skin
No, they don’t. This is just one of the myths about ticks. Good news, right?
Here’s what actually happens. A tick will feed until it becomes full and then fall off.
The bad news: This usually takes anywhere from three to six days.
The area around the bite might start to swell around the head of the tick, but the tick does not actually burrow below the skin.
Tick Myth: Just Stay Out of the Woods to Avoid Ticks
While you’re more likely to encounter ticks in woods or fields with tall grass, ticks hang out anywhere they can find a host to hop aboard. That includes your yard.
Tick Myth: You Should Remove a Tick with a Flame
Maybe you’ve heard holding a flame near the tick will cause it to back out. This is one of the more common myths about ticks.
A better idea: use tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible. Slowly pull it straight out, without twisting (to reduce the chance of tick parts embedding).
Tick Myth: Ticks Are Only Active in Warm Weather
You’re more likely to encounter ticks during the warmer months, but guess what? They can be active as long as the temperature is above 40 degrees.
So when you’re out back sipping your hot cocoa or raking leaves, you should still be wary of ticks.
Now For Some Tick Facts
Knowing the facts about ticks can actually help you avoid them and get rid of them.
Tick Fact: They’re Lazy
Ticks lurk on the tips of grasses and shrubs, waiting for a host to brush up against their spot. Then, they hop on board.
Tick Fact: They’re Gross
The tick quickly cuts into its host’s skin, then inserts its feeding tube. It sucks the blood slowly for several days until it’s full.
Tick Fact: Yes, They Carry Diseases
As ticks feed, small amounts of their saliva may enter the host, and that’s how they transmit diseases like Lyme Disease, the most common disease spread by ticks In Wisconsin.
The average number of reported Lyme Disease cases has more than doubled here over the past 10 years.
Tick Fact: They’re Great at Hiding
Ticks are sneaky little hiders, hanging out where your yard borders wooded areas, or shady spots where damp leaves and yard debris accumulate.
That’s actually good news — it makes it easier to target where they hang out, and kill them there.
Tick Fact: You Can Make Your Yard Less Inviting to Ticks
There are things you can do to discourage ticks from hanging out in your yard:
- Get rid of areas where water accumulates. Lots of these spots could be lurking in your yard: old tires; clogged gutters; buckets; wheelbarrows; empty flower pots.
- Remove leaf litter.
- Clear tall grasses and brush around your house and at the edge of your lawn.
- Keep your lawn mowed.
- Stack any wood neatly and in a dry area.
- Keep playground equipment, decks, and patios away from yard edges and trees.
- Discourage unwelcome animals (such as deer, raccoons, rodents, and stray dogs) from entering your yard by constructing fences.
- Remove old furniture, mattresses, or trash from the yard that may give ticks a place to hide.
You Have Tick Facts: Now What?
Now you use these facts about ticks to get rid of the sneaky pests. Targeting them where they live and breed is your best defense.
RainMaster’s barrier spray reduces ticks on your property all season long, with regular visits every three weeks. There are six visits total, from spring through fall.
Specialists spray the perimeter of your yard, hitting the spots where ticks lurk and breed:
- Underneath plant leaves
- Shady areas
- Wet areas
- Under decks
- Low tree limbs
- Wood piles
The results are immediate — a big reduction in ticks. And, a bonus: it reduces mosquitoes, too.
While no tick control program offers 100 percent control, you absolutely will see a big reduction in ticks and mosquitoes.
The service starts at $539 for a year, based on the size of your yard, with regular applications every three weeks. The average customer spends about $600.
Tick Fact: Reduce Those Pests with RainMaster
It’s kind of amazing how something so small can be so annoying — and even deadly.
It’s time to take your yard back, and enjoy the outdoors without worrying about dangerous ticks.
Are you ready to stop stressing about ticks? Request a quote today! Then, you can get back to enjoying your yard, without all the worry.
Image Source: Tick
