Natural Tick Repellent for the Yard

Ticks like to live in areas with tall grasses.

A tick infestation could result in your family or pets getting Lyme disease. You can mow the grass in the yard regularly, clear leaves and use a tick repellent to eliminate tick problems.

Pyrethrin

Pyrtherin, a compound derived from plants of the Chrysanthemum family, can reduce tick infestation by 90 percent. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, you can get both natural pyrethrin products and its synthetic counterpart permethrin in retail stores.

Function

Pyrethrin poisons the nerve system of ticks and eventually kills them. For best results, apply pyrethrin in late spring or early fall along the perimeter of the yard.

Safety

Compared to other active ingredients for insecticides, pyrethrin is relatively safe for humans, dogs and cats. However, it is strongly toxic for some species of fish and mildly toxis for some birds such as mallard ducks.

References

• University of Maryland Medical Center: Lyme Disease and Related Tick-Borne Infections