Deer Ticks in Bushes
The deer tick -- also known as black-legged ticks or Ixodes scapularis -- often carries germs that can cause potentially serious human medical conditions such as Lyme disease, babesiosis and ehrlichiosis. Because of these risks, it is absolutely necessary to take steps to remove deer tick populations from your home when you discover their presence. Does this Spark an idea?
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Deer Ticks
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Deer ticks does not ordinarily carry any diseases unless the tick itself is infected with bacteria that spreads the disease. The disease is transmitted to humans when an infected tick bites them. In addition to lyme disease, deer ticks can also be carriers of bacterias that cause Babesiosis, Ehrlichiosis, Bartonella, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, mycoplasmas and other potentially serious medical conditions.
Spotting Deer Ticks
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Deer ticks tend to collect in tall, grassy areas, particularly ones near a roadside or at the edge of a lawn. If you live in a cool, moist climate, you are more at risk for a deer tick infestation. Deer ticks also love shrubs, bushes, wooded areas or any part of your garden that is particularly moist. Anyone that frequents these areas is at risk of deer tick bites. The Lyme Disease Association of Southeastern Pennsylvania says "the list" of people at risk from deer tick bites "is endless...[o]utdoor workers, gardeners, campers, hikers, people who hunt or fish, golfers who stray into the rough, people who live in the city but go for a picnic in a park" or even your own children playing in the back yard "are all at risk."
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Approaches to Control
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Deer tick infestations are often caused by the presence of an animal that acts as a host for the tick, such as a mouse or a deer. One effective way to reduce the deer tick population in your yard is to reduce the number of deer and mice. Creating a wood, gravel or stone barrier between the yard and taller grassed area helps discourage tick populations. Simple yard maintenance -- keeping your lawn grass cut to 2 inches, removing all leaf litter and brush from the ground, and regularly trimming bushes, shrubs and trees -- can also go a long way in keeping ticks away.
Protection
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If none of the preventative measures listed are effective in removing ticks from your yard, it is all the more necessary to protect you and your family from deer tick bites. Move family activities away from tall grass and wooded areas. If you are walking in a wooded area, always walk in the middle of the path and never sit directly on the ground, fallen logs, stonewalls or woodpiles. Always wear long pants and long sleeves when walking through an area that may be tick-infested, Additionally, spray your exposed skin and the outside of your clothes with an insect-repellent that contains permethrin.
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References
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