There are many types of ticks found in the United States. This article will give some brief information about some of these species but will not discuss them in any great detail. The main intent of this discussion is to educate you on how to treat for local infestations. Ticks present some unique problems when trying to treat yards, pets and homes. Since some species of ticks can transmit disease through their parasitic behavior, reducing levels in and around the home is needed. After reading the following article, you will know the best material to use for combating this pest in the yard and in the home.

 

TICK BIOLOGY

Ticks are in the arachnid family. They generally develop from eggs to nymphs to adults. Some take a few molts to become adults; others become adults quicker. Nymphs have 6 legs, adults have 8. All are blood sucking depending on blood for food. Once fed, nymphs will grow and molt to adults. Some species of adults need to get another meal or two before they are able to breed and lay eggs. Although there are many species named after specific animals, most ticks are able to feed on just about any animal which has blood. In other words, brown dog ticks can feed on people. Deer ticks can feed on dogs. Bat ticks love rats. The point is that they will take advantage of whatever food supply is readily available so be aware that any infestation of this family of pests is not acceptable.

 

TICK TYPES

Ticks are broken down to two main types. These are referred to as either Hard or Soft ticks. Hard ticks, as the name implies, have a body which resembles a seed. It’s mouth parts are clearly visible. Soft ticks have a body which cover their entire head. Nothing can be seen other than some legs sticking out their sides when viewed from above. Hard ticks go through one nymph stage before becoming adults; soft ticks go through many stages. Hard ticks will feed once as a nymph and then again as an adult. Soft ticks will feed periodically through their nymph stages which could be as many as 8. Ticks can also be categorized by the number of times they feed. Some are single host feeders, some two host feeders and then others are three host feeders. Most of the significant ticks in the United States can be categorized as three host feeders and hard ticks.

Fowl ticks are soft ticks and generally not a problem for people. They live on birds and from time to time find their way into homes. This happens where birds are kept in large numbers or where birds have been living and then are removed leaving behind hungry ticks seeking food. Known also as “chicken ticks”, “adobe ticks” or “blue bugs”, these ticks are largely active at night. During the day they will live amongst the cracks and crevices out of sight.

Bat ticks are very specific to bats and will invade a home following bat exclusion. If the bats were living in your attic and have been screened out, it is not uncommon to have an invasion of ticks. These were living on the bats nesting in cracks and crevices found in the woodwork of your home. Once their food supply left, they will be faced with having to forage for a new food supply which leads to large numbers getting into the living area of the upstairs of many homes around the country.

Brown dog ticks are amongst the more economical ticks found in our country. The young nymphs are often referred to as “seed ticks” when found on pets in the spring because they resemble poppy seeds. These ticks are active from spring through summer generally feeding once a developing stage. Brown dog ticks are most likely to find their way into the home via pets. They will cling to any part of a dog or cat but tend to find their way around ears, eyes and paws. Engorged females are capable of laying thousands of eggs. These eggs will find their way to where ever the pet travels. It is not unusual to have ticks living in crawl spaces if you allowed access by your pet which has now been found to have ticks on it.

 

TICK LIFE CYCLE

Like fleas, eggs will fall off it as it moves around which means eggs can find their way to beds, furniture and other areas of the home. The young which emerge from the eggs are quick to feed but are able to wait almost a year without food. This amazing feature allows it to thrive even if it can’t find a host when newly hatched. In fact, because of this ability to wait long periods of time without feeding, brown dog ticks can take over a year to fully develop. However, most find food and can reach maturity in under three months. If feeding occurs in the home, ticks which are developing in the south can complete up to 4 generations a year. Because they lay so many eggs and because eggs develop based on food supply, brown dog ticks are a major problem throughout the United States and are the most likely to infest a home. There are many diseases these ticks can transmit including tick paralysis, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, human babesiosis and human ehrlichiosis just to name a few.

The groundhog tick is most common in the northeastern part of the country and is worth noting because of its increase in population. These ticks thrive on woodchucks but will readily bite man. It is known to transmit Powassan encephalitis which is both painful and debilitating. This virus has been found in many other animals including raccoon, squirrel, chipmunks, rabbit and skunk. Ground hog ticks are feeding on many types of animals and as we come in close contact with these animals in our urban neighborhoods, we are subject to more and more of unwanted exposures. (Be sure to read our in depth articles on controlling all of these animals around your home which will allow you to keep tick populations down. These articles can be found in our article archive section.) Summer cottages and weekend getaways are becoming infested with these pests because of certain animals which are living in and around the homes. As the tick populations grow, they find their way into the home and eventually onto the people living there.

The wood tick is probably the most commonly thought of tick because of it’s relation to lyme disease. There are many names for this tick depending on which part of the country you live. Though slightly different from each other, they are similar in their habits. The species of wood ticks we have include the Rocky Mountain spotted fever tick, the lone star tick, the black legged tick, the American dog tick and the brown dog tick. Though lyme disease was thought to be transmitted by this type of tick, it was eventually learned that the deer tick (known as the bear tick in the mid-west) was actually a variant of the already known black legged tick. It is found throughout much of the United States so it is possible every one of the lower 48 states has a tick carrying the disease. However, there are some states which don’t record any incidence of it annually. This doesn’t rule out widespread existence; in fact, the states with the most people and tourism are most likely to get the most cases diagnosed and reported annually.

The white footed mouse plays a significant role in the development of the disease as well so areas where this mouse is found are likely to have more lyme disease. These ticks will feed on different hosts if needed, so deer and other animals are able to carry egg laying adults to areas where new born nymphs will be able to find people. Due to the numbers of nymphs born each season and the fact they are found close to people, contact and bites are sure to happen. If you suspect you have been bitten by a tick which may transmit lyme disease, have a doctor look at it. Early treatment is key to preventing the pain and long term suffering associated with advanced cases. And if you have ticks in your region and want to keep their numbers under control, there are several things which can be done. First, start with the outside. If you have ticks in the home or on the pet, there are more treatments which will be needed. Lets take a look at some of these treatments and the products needed to control this pest.

TICK LAWN GRANULES

If you want to prevent ticks from getting in your yard, set out MAXXTHOR GRANULES.

This product is slow releasing and when applied along property borders or where wildlife is active, will end larval stages as they migrate in the spring and fall.

Use 10 lbs per 10,000 sq/ft of yard. That’s 1 lb per thousand square feet. Plan on treating once in the spring and once in the fall. These granules are super fine and will mostly disappear out of sight once applied. Treatments typically last 1-2 months but sometimes longer. Apply them once a month if ticks are active; every 3 months for prevention.

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BEST TICK SPRAY

After applying a layer of granules to your turf, spray the same area with MAXXTHOR EC. Be sure to get all the shrubs and plants up to 5 feet in height. Ticks will use plants as a way to find host animals like horses, cattle, dogs, cats and more. Maxxthor is fast acting and will kill on contact. It will also repel them from treated areas so you can effectively keep them from coming in from up high which is especially helpful if you have a lot of deer using the land. Use 1 oz Maxxthor for every 5,000 sq/ft.

32 oz128 ozQTY

 

To get the most of your treatment, add SPREAD-X BOOST to your tank mix along with the Maxxthor. Boost is an adjuvant, also known as a wetter spreader or spreader sticker. It basically makes water and the mixture more “slippery” so you get better coverage. Treatments will spread 2-3 times wider and penetrate deeper.

The following short video summarizes why Boost can help deliver your treatment to where it matters the most. And this is extra helpful when treating around homes with soil dwelling pests like millipedes.

Add no more than the rate you’re applying the Maxxthor so in this case, if you’re adding 2.5 oz of Maxxthor to the hose end sprayer, add 2.5 oz of Boost too before adding water. If you’re adding Maxxthor to a pump sprayer at the rate of 1 oz per gallon, use 1 oz of Boost.

And don’t spray in the middle of the day; treat late in the day close to sunset so the treatment can dry without direct sunlight. UV light on the Boost can stress plants if the temperature is 85 degrees or higher so treat 2 hours or less before sunset to reduce sunlight stress.

32 oz64 ozQTY

 

Use our 20 GALLON HOSE END SPRAYER to apply the Maxxthor. Basically you’ll add 2.5 oz of Maxxthor and then fill the sprayer to the 5 gallon mark with water to treat 5,000 sq/ft of turf.

 

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Be sure to spray alongside your home – especially if you have shrubs and flower beds.

Expect to retreat in 30 days to control the local population and then once a quarter (3 times a year) to prevent future activity.

ORGANIC TICK TREATMENT FOR SENSITIVE AREAS

If you’re interested in using an essential oil concentrate, the only one we’ve found strong enough to deal with ticks is PEST-XEMPT C.

Using essential plant oils, Xempt C will kill ticks when they’re directly sprayed. It will also keep them away by repelling them with its aroma. This smell is very “woodsy” and faint to people but insects will detect it and stay away.

Use 4 oz per gallon of water per 1000 sq/ft. Apply it with any of the sprayer options listed above.

Spray once a month all season to prevent infestations. Xempt C is not as strong as Maxxthor and so you will need to treat on a regular basis. But it’s the only product that can be used safely along side water like ponds, lakes, rivers and streams.

When using the 20 GALLON HOSE END SPRAYER listed above, add 20 oz of concentrate to the sprayer, fill with water and spray the entire amount over 5,000 sq/ft of turf.

 




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