There are two types of ticks, hard and soft. Soft ticks typically feed on bats and birds. Hard ticks are the more well-known type, feeding on humans, animals, and wildlife, requiring blood to survive. They have adapted to feed on a given host for a long period of time and have curved teeth that can bite deeply into the host’s skin, remaining securely attached for days.
Ticks typically live in trees, shrubbery, or other vegetation. While they can’t fly, they move around through a process called “questing.” As a potential host walks by, they grasp it with their back legs and then reach out with their front legs to hang on. Sometimes they will even drop down from trees or other areas to latch on.
Known to spread a variety of diseases, ticks can be a danger to your healthand the health of your family and your pets. According to the CDC, over the last ten years, the top five reported tick-borne diseases in the United States are as follows:
Lyme disease (34,000 cases/year)
Anaplasmosis/Ehrlichiosis (5,700 cases/year)
Rocky Mountain spotted fever (5,500 cases/year)
Babesiosis (2,000 cases/year)
Tularemia (200 cases/year)
While not every tick bite results in an illness, it is still essential to do what you can to avoid one. Here are some things you can do to prevent being bit and bringing ticks home:
Wear long sleeves, pants, and closed-toed shoes if you are walking around in wooded areas.
Wear light-colored clothes to make it easier to spot ticks.
Use bug spray that contains at least 20% DEET.
If you are hiking, try to stay in the center of trails to avoid vegetation.
Check yourself for ticks regularly if you’ve been outside, including a red bullseye rash around a potential bite site.
There are also steps you can take to keep ticks away from your home and yard:
Keep your grass cut low.
Keep your yard free of weeds.
Remove wood piles and other debris that can provide a home for ticks and other pests.
Even if you take the proper steps to prevent ticks around your home or while walking around outside, you may end up with a tick problem. In that case, the best thing you can do is get professional help. At Natura Pest Control , we are a locally-owned and -operated company here to support any of your pest control needs in the greater Reno area.
When you contact Natura Pest Control about your tick problem, we will be there the same day to help you. One of our exterminators will inspect your home to determine the root of the problem and recommend a treatment plan to resolve your tick problem quickly, helping keep you and your family living tick-free.
Nevada
5595 Equity Ave, Ste 650, Reno, NV 89502
1855 Sullivan Ln, Sparks, NV 89431, United States of America
Idaho
12055 West Savage Drive, Boise, Idaho 83713, United States