It’s summer in Tennessee, and that means it is tick season! If you are spending a lot of time outdoors, it is important to take precautions against tick bites and always check your body for ticks after hiking and other outdoor activities. However, you may also need to take precautions in your own yard to prevent a tick infestation in your home. Here is what your local pest control in Knoxville, TN, thinks you need to know about ticks!

Which Type of Ticks Live In Tennessee?

There are six different varieties of ticks that can be found in Tennessee. These include:

• American Dog Tick (Wood Tick)
• Asian Longhorned Tick
• Black-Legged Tick (Deer Tick)
• Brown Dog Tick
• Gulf Coast Tick
• Lone Star Tick

All of these ticks will tend to inhabit similar environments, most commonly heavily wooded or bushy areas like forests. However, they can also be found in grassy areas, fields, and yards, so it is best to take precautions against tick bites when outdoors for a prolonged period.

Are Ticks Dangerous?

While ticks themselves are not particularly dangerous, and bites do not usually hurt, you may not notice that a tick has latched on to you for several days, which is why it is important to check yourself for ticks after being outside. However, the danger comes from ticks spreading various blood-borne diseases, some of which can be considered deadly. The most common tick-borne diseases in Tennessee are Spotted Fever, Rickettsiosis, Ehrlichiosis, Anaplasmosis, and Lyme Disease.

Steps for Effective Tick Pest Control

Since ticks are known vectors of various diseases, they can have severe health implications. Preventing tick bites and controlling tick populations around your home is crucial for reducing the risk of tick-borne illnesses. You can take a number of steps to minimize the tick population in your yard in addition to working with pest control in Knoxville to put protections in place.

1. Yard Maintenance

   The best place to start is to maintain your yard. In fact, when it comes to pest control in Knoxville, a well-maintained yard can help deter all manner of pests, including ticks! Start by mowing your lawn regularly, as ticks thrive in long grass, as will mosquitoes and other pests. Ticks prefer dense vegetation, so you will also want to trim bushes and shrubs regularly and clear away leaves and other debris. You can also create a tick exclusion zone by establishing a barrier between lawns or wooded areas and your recreation areas using gravel or wood chips. This will help to prevent ticks from migrating between areas.

2. Tick Proof Your Home

   One of the recommendations for any pest control in Knoxville is to make sure potential entry points around your home are sealed up. This includes doors, windows, areas around pipe entry, and other cracks and crevices. This makes it more difficult for ticks and other pests to enter your home. If you have pets, you should treat them using a veterinarian-recommended tick prevention treatment to stop them from carrying ticks into your home. When venturing outdoors, you can also treat your skin and clothing with tick repellent. Choose a repellant that has DEET or picaridin as an active ingredient.

3. Professional Pest Control

   It is also important to seek professional assistance from pest control in Knoxville. They can develop an appropriate treatment plan to eliminate ticks on your property and prevent future infestations. This can be done using a combination of liquid and granular treatments designed to specifically target the tick species found in the United States. Your technician can also offer advice on landscaping changes that could help to deter ticks and other pests from making themselves at home in your yard.

4. Personal Protection From Ticks

   We have already touched on some of the personal steps you can take to prevent tick bites. It is advised that you wear long sleeves and long pants whenever you are going to be in an environment that is likely to have ticks, such as long grass or densely wooded areas. You will also want to tuck your pant legs into your socks! After spending time in these areas, it is also important to check your body and your pets for ticks. Pay particular attention to the scalp, armpits, and groin.

Effective tick control requires a combination of preventive measures, regular maintenance, and sometimes professional help from pest control in Knoxville. By staying vigilant and taking the right precautions, you can protect yourself and your loved ones from tick bites and the threat of the illnesses they carry. Remember, the best defense against ticks is a comprehensive and integrated approach to pest management.

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Otis Termite & Pest Control is a full-service pest control company with a focus on outstanding service. We have been serving the East Tennessee area for over 56 years and our reputation is built on prompt and effective service. We’re good at what we do and we’re fast. We do the job right the first time – and that’s an actual guarantee! 

Call 865.690.1662 or visit www.otispestcontrol.net.