Tick Prevention Plan: What we do

Pesticides to control ticks, are the most effective way to reduce tick populations, particularly if combined with landscaping methods that decrease tick habitat. Both liquid and granular formulations provide consistent control, and only small amounts of properly applied material is necessary.  While each property is unique, most will receive the following treatment recommendations and results

• Treat once in late spring or early summer to control blacklegged tick nymphs.
• For American dog ticks, treat anytime after the adults emerge in the spring (late April).
• A single application of most acaricides will provide 85-90% or better control with some residual activity.  Treat tick habitat only.  Spray areas where the lawn meets the woods, stonewalls, or ornamental plantings. Spray several yards into bordering woodlands, area of greatest tick density.
• Treat the perimeter of yards in areas that are often used by people (play areas, storage areas, walkways, mailboxes). Avoid herb, vegetable, and butterfly gardens.
• Treat groundcover vegetation near the home and walkways.
• Treat again in the fall to control adult ticks, which inevitibly reduces the following spring nymphs
• In parks and school athletic fields, restrict applications to high-risk tick habitat. Spraying open fields and large lawns is not necessary. 

Some organic pesticide products are less effective; multiple applications may be required.

Product Information to be shared in the future

Ticks are commonly found in shady, humid, densely wooded areas, as well as the unmanaged edge habitats between woodland and open areas. Woodland paths may harbor a high number of ticks, especially adults. These areas also attract deer, rodents and small mammals—the common hosts that ticks require. In lawns, most ticks are located within 3 yards of the outer edge particularly when they border woodlands, stonewalls, or ornamental plantings. Ticks also inhabit ornamental and groundcover vegetation. Landscape maintenance and modification can create an environment that is unattractive to tick hosts. Fewer ticks are found on well-maintained lawns, except in areas adjacent to preferred tick habitiat—woodlands, stonewalls, heavy groundcover and ornamental vegetation. However, landscape practices that discourage ticks will not eliminate ticks; integrating other tick control practices may be necessary. Landscape modifications should center around the areas frequently used by people, not necessarily the entire property. Elimination of all woodland and wildlife habitats is not necessary or environmentally desirable. To minimize ticks in residential landscapes: 

 Keep grass mowed.

•  Remove leaf litter, brush and weeds from lawn edges, stonewalls and wood piles.
•  Isolate areas used by the family or public (lawns, play areas, recreational or ball fields) from tick habitat or tick hot spots (woods, dense vegetation, groundcover, stonewalls). 
•  Move firewood piles and bird feeders away from the house.
•  Move children’s swing sets and sand boxes away from the woodland edge and place them on a wood chip or mulch type foundation.
•  Manage pet activity; keep dogs and cats out of the woods to reduce ticks brought back into the home.
•  Restrict the use of groundcover plantings in areas frequented by family and   pets.
•  Consider raised beds or containers for ornamental plantings 
•  Trim tree branches and shrubs around the lawn edge to let in more sunlight and reduce humidity. 
•  Prune plants to provide open space between the ground and base of the plant. 
•  Use ornamental plantings that do not attract deer. 
•  In areas with high deer populations, exclude them from the property with fences.