Finding a tick on your child, pet, or yourself can be alarming. Ticks are external parasites that feed on the blood of animals and people. While they feed, ticks can pick up pathogens and carry them to the next host they choose.
Welcome to tick talk, where we will explain how to achieve effective tick control in Orange County, CA to help protect your family and pets. We'll describe the life cycle of these pests and review the risks that can come with a bite. Continue reading to learn expert prevention tips and how to keep your property tick-free with the experts at The PEST Group.
The Life Cycle Of Ticks: A Comprehensive Overview
Most ticks go through four life cycle stages—egg, larva, nymph, and adult. After the eggs hatch, baby ticks must eat blood at every phase to survive and mature. Some species, like the brown dog tick, prefer to have the same host for every stage in the cycle, while other species switch to different host animals (or people) after each phase.
Ticks hold on to leaves or grass while waiting to sense a passing host's body heat, breath, or vibrations, then climb on, attach, and feed. Ticks seek smaller host animals as larvae and move on to humans and larger animals in the nymphal and adult stages. Contact us today at The PEST Group for assistance if you suspect ticks are infesting your property.
Top Tick-Borne Diseases: Symptoms, Treatment, And Prevention
When a tick finds a host, it can take up to a few hours to attach and start feeding. As they feed, they can pick up blood-borne infections the host has and then pass them on to the next host they choose through their saliva. The following list includes some of the diseases caused by ticks in California:
- Lyme disease
- Rocky Mountain spotted fever
- Anaplasmosis
- Tularemia
- Powassan encephalitis
Every time a tick bites, there is a possibility that they are going to spread a dangerous pathogen. One of the best ways to protect your family and pets is to work with a professional company to eliminate ticks from your property. Contact us today at The PEST Group to learn more about our tick control services or to request your free inspection.
Tick Prevention Tips: Expert Advice For A Tick-Free Life
Working with a professional company is the most effective way to keep ticks away from the yard. But combining these services with our DIY tick prevention tips will give you even better protection. Here are some tips you can start using right away:
- Keep the grass short, including in hard-to-reach areas near fencing, sheds, and children's play sets.
- Mice frequently carry ticks to yards, so it helps to eliminate potential nesting sites like overgrown vegetation, debris, and woodpiles.
- Install fencing to keep wild animals out of the yard.
- Avoid attracting animals that carry ticks, like opossums, skunks, and raccoons, by ensuring garbage is in containers with tight lids.
The best way to get rid of ticks in the yard and prevent them in the future is to team up with a local pest control company. Contact us today at The PEST Group to learn how we can help to protect your family and pets from ticks.
Expert Tick Control Services: Keeping Your Property Tick-Free
The PEST Group offers expert tick control near you to keep your property tick-free year round. Reach out today to learn more about our tick control services or request your free inspection and reclaim your property from dangerous ticks.
Our certified pest experts will work with you to find the best solution for your needs. Simply fill out this form for a free, no-obligation estimate.