Living in TX, you get to experience several benefits. One of the big bonuses that come from living here is the ideal winters. The year round ideal weather comes with some drawbacks though; one of those drawbacks is the presence of ticks pretty much year round. It is important to know the risks that come with ticks, and the many things you can do to help protect yourself from ticks. A-Tex Pest Management is here to share some useful information about ticks to keep your protected.
Common Tick Species Found in TX
The most commonly found tick species in Texas is the Brown Dog Tick. While this is the one that is found the most, there are actually four different species that you may encounter throughout the state. Also included in this list are: American Dog Tick, Lone Star Tick and the Deer Tick. All of these ticks are considered hard shelled ticks which means that most of their body is protected with a hard shell. There are several blood-borne diseases that can be spread when bit by these ticks including Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.
Tips to Keep Ticks Off Your Property
There are several things that you can do as a homeowner that will help keep ticks from invading your property. Here are some of our best tips to help make your home a less tick-friendly environment.
– Keep grass cut short so they don’t find refuge in longer grasses.
– Store firewood at least 20 feet away from your home.
– Properly dispose of leaves, trimmings and trash.
– Keep children’s play areas away from the perimeter of your property that may be closer to unmanicured areas where ticks thrive.
– Put a 3 foot barrier around your home using some sort of landscaping material like rocks, mulch or wood chips.
How to Safely Remove a Tick
In the case that you don’t find a tick on your body or on the body of a child or pet, you need to remove it as soon as possible to avoid any diseases. It is important that you remove a tick properly to avoid these diseases. Here are the recommendations that the CDC has put out on how to safely remove a tick from your body.
– Rubber gloves and tweezers are needed to safely remove a tick.
– With steady pressure applied, you can pull the tick out.
– Do not ever twist as you pull out the tick for fear that the head will break off and remain under the skin.
– Do not smash the tick as this can release infectious fluid.
– Flush it down the toilet and disinfect the area right away.
Tick Pest Inspections, Treatment, Control, Removal & More in Austin, Round Rock, Leander, Pflugerville & Cedar Park Texas
If you are constantly battling ticks on your property, you can count on the experts at A-Tex Pest Management to help you remove them. Call us today!
