Tips To Avoid Ticks While Hiking In Katy
There is a lot of chatter right now about tick-borne diseases—and for good reason. People are starting to realize that Ticks are dangerous. Over the last two decades, the number of Lyme disease cases in the United States have more than doubled and Lyme disease is only one of many dangerous diseases spread by ticks. Those little bloodsucking bugs are linked to Rocky Mountain spotted fever, ehrlichiosis, tularemia, Powassan virus disease, and many more. So it is important that every Katy resident know some simple steps to avoid ticks while away from home. Here's what you need to know.
Ticks Climb Up
If you've ever found a tick in your hair, you may be tempted to think that they fall down from trees, but this is not the case. Ticks climb all the way up your body to get to your hair. Understanding this can help you protect yourself from ticks when you're out hiking.
Spray mosquito repellent on your legs and feet. This will keep ticks off you.
Wear bright colors so you can see ticks as they're crawling up.
Consider tucking your pants into your socks to keep ticks from crawling under.
Ticks Attach
If a tick gets on you, it isn't going to bite and fall off. It is going to attach. When it does, it will grow as it fills with blood. There are a few reasons why this is important to understand.
Finding ticks on your body or on the skin of your pet becomes easier the longer it has time to draw blood in. Feel around for a bump on the skin or look for engorged ticks.
It takes time for ticks to transmit illness. If you remove ticks early, you can prevent transmission. For this reason, it is important to always do a tick check when you return from being out in nature.
Pets Are A Target
Ticks don't take humans as hosts. Some ticks don't even prefer to bite humans. But all ticks will get on dogs. If you like to bring your dog on walks with you, be sure to take precautions.
Make sure your dog has a tick collar.
Consider spraying a pet-specific mosquito repellent on your dog before going out. This helps to address ticks as well.
Consider keeping your dog leashed.
Avoid tall grass and hanging vegetation.
Inspect your dog for ticks when your return. Ticks have a preference for the ears and between the toes. These are good places to look first.
The Most Effective Way To Keep Ticks Away From Your Katy Yard
Six species of ticks live in Texas yards and cause trouble for residents. Most of these ticks present health risks to people and pets by spreading illnesses when they invade homes.
These arachnids usually ride on wild animals for entry into yards and jump on people or pets to infest homes. Once inside, they're hard to find, often remaining hidden until they bite. The best way to avoid these issues is to prevent them from getting into your house. Some tick prevention tips for your Katy yard include:
- Keep your grass cut short.
- Remove overgrown debris or vegetation.
- Build a fence to keep wild animals off your property.
- Provide tick medication for your pets.
- Wear tick repellant, long sleeves, and pants while outside.
If these animals invade your home, you’ll need professional tick removal from Modern Pest Control. Our technicians will survey your yard to find where ticks are resting and use specialized equipment to treat infested areas.
We can treat your home in a single visit and offer monthly treatments during the active tick months of March through October. Let us know if you need help with ticks on your Katy property.
As always, remember that the team at Modern Pest Control is available to help resolve pest concerns. For ticks, we provide yard pest control treatments that eliminate ticks and prevent them from getting on you and your pets when you're in your yard. We also provide rodent control to prevent rodents from bringing ticks into your home. Reach out to us today for immediate assistance.