Summer has finally arrived in Chandler, and with it, the risk of tick infestations. Ticks in Arizona are not only annoying pests but can also transmit serious diseases. Illnesses such as Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and ehrlichiosis are not out of the question, some of which require significant medical attention to treat.
Since ticks can attach to humans, pets, and other wildlife creatures, it doesn’t take much for these unwanted arachnids to travel from place to place. Even if your property doesn’t show any signs of infestation, it may only be a few weeks before their breeding cycle has reached fever pitch.
It is essential to take preventive measures to avoid tick activity in any capacity, especially when it comes to the safety of yourself, your pets, and your loved ones. Thankfully, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, and precluding tick activity with today could protect you from serious illnesses tomorrow.
That’s what this guide is all about. In this blog post, we discuss the life cycle of ticks, tick-borne diseases, and how to prevent proactively. Additionally, we introduce you to our expert tick control services and explain how they can keep your property free of ticks.
Let’s start with the most essential part of tick control: a robust understanding of the life cycle of ticks.
The Life Cycle Of Ticks: A Comprehensive Overview
Ticks are an incredibly unique pest with a more involved life cycle than many people realize. Contrary to popular belief, these pests are arachnids, not insects, and use their eight legs and sharp mouth parts to cut through skin and feed on blood.
But how do ticks become these blood-feeding machines? And how long can they live once they have grown to adulthood? Let’s start at the beginning.
The lifecycle of a tick all begins at the egg stage. Female ticks can lay thousands of eggs over the course of their lifetime, although they require a blood meal to fertilize each brood. You can typically find tick eggs under leaves, in brush, or near wood piles; it’s unlikely for ticks to lay their eggs on a living host.
Two weeks after the female tick lays eggs, they hatch into larvae. These larvae must immediately feed on a host to survive, at which point they may pick up certain pathogens. Keep in mind ticks feed on blood at every stage of their lives beyond eggs, which means they can procure illness at any point during their lifecycle. Once a tick picks up a pathogen, they remain a vector of it for the remainder of their lives.
With their first meal complete and out of the way, tick larvae are ready to mature into nymphs. These are very tiny pests that look like smaller versions of grown adults. You may hear nymphs referred to as ‘seed ticks,’ as they are incredibly small and difficult to spot. Nymphs need to feed for at least four or five days before dropping off their host and molting into adults.
Tick adults feed on a third and final host during late summer or early fall. They are much more likely to transmit disease at this stage, particularly Powassan virus (15 minutes to transmission), Babesiosis (36 to 48 hours to transmission), and Lyme disease (8-24 hours to transmission). Once they’ve fed on their final host, ticks search for a mate and lay eggs in the spring. The entire tick lifecycle can take two or more years, depending on the species in question.
Now that you know what to expect from the tick lifecycle, it’s time to learn more about the diseases they carry.
Top Tick-Borne Diseases: Symptoms, Treatment, And Prevention
Ticks are considered one of the most dangerous pests in North America. Not only can they spread serious illnesses to people, but they can also transfer deadly pathogens to our cats, dogs, and other furry friends.
Thankfully, tick-borne illnesses are relatively uncommon here in Chandler. That said, there is always a risk, and tick-borne illnesses come with severe consequences if not treated promptly.
Let’s take a closer look at some of the most common illnesses spread by ticks, as well as your likelihood for transmission here in Arizona.
- Lyme disease: Sometimes referred to as Borreliosis, Lyme disease is spread by bacteria transmitted by infected ticks. Lyme disease may cause flu-like symptoms, a bull’s-eye rash, and lingering joint pain. Although many cases of Lyme disease may be cured, there are reports of individuals experiencing chronic Lyme symptoms. At the time of this writing, Lyme disease is not common in the Arizona area.
- Rocky Mountain spotted fever: This is a bacterial infection commonly spread by the American dog tick. The symptoms of Rocky Mountain spotted fever typically include muscle pain, fever, headaches, and some people also experience an unexplained rash. Rocky Mountain spotted fever is far more common in Chandler than Lyme disease and may even be deadly if not treated quickly with antibiotics.
- Rickettsia parkeri rickettsiosis: Also known as Southwestern tick fever, this is a bacterial infection spread by the same species of tick that transmits Lyme disease. Southwestern tick fever can cause headaches, dizziness, and even confusion in some cases. There have only been two reported cases of this illness in Arizona since it was discovered in 2002. However, with tick-borne illness on the rise in Chandler, it may become more common in the future.
To prevent getting infected with these tick-borne diseases, it is essential to wear protective clothing and check for ticks after outdoor activities. If you suspect that you have been bitten by a tick, seek medical attention immediately. It’s a good idea to capture the tick in a jar or bag in case of possible transmission.
It’s clear no one wants a tick bite here in Chandler. However, what can you do to stop bites from happening, and what can you do to protect yourself from summertime tick activity?
Let’s take a closer look at tick bite prevention and some proactive measures below.
Tick Bite Prevention: Proactive Measures For Outdoor Activities
Prevention is the best strategy when it comes to avoiding tick bites. However, keep in mind you can’t eliminate all tick activity from your lawn or garden. Ticks are all but ubiquitous here in Chandler, and protecting yourself from unwanted activity should begin with mitigation, not complete elimination.
Here are a few of our most well-vetted tips for tick prevention in Arizona:
- First, avoid tick-infested areas, especially during peak tick season between May and September. Dense, overgrown areas or fields with lots of tall grass are likely sites for a tick infestation. It’s a good idea to keep your yard trimmed to avoid tick activity near the sides of your home. A mower, weed wacker, and sidewalk edger go a long way toward helping with local tick control.
- Wear long-sleeved shirts, long pants, socks, and closed-toe shoes while adventuring outdoors. You may also want to wear a hat while hiking; you never know when these pests might fall from the trees! We recommend using insect repellent on exposed skin, socks, and shoes. Creating a barrier around yourself is a great way to keep ticks at bay.
- It’s important to check yourself and your family for ticks after a day outdoors. Pay special attention to any folds or creases in clothing, as well as the back of your neck, scalp, underarms, waistline, and behind the knees. Examine all areas twice over to ensure no invaders are present. If you do find a tick, remove it promptly with a pair of tweezers by grasping it close to the skin’s surface and pulling upward with steady, even pressure.
- Do what you can to keep tick-carrying pests (like rodents, deer, and raccoons) away from your property. Make sure to keep pet food in sealed containers, and never leave food scraps lying around. If you can reduce the amount of wildlife in your yard, you’ll be less likely to attract ticks in the first place.
- Try following a few best maintenance practices for keeping ticks away from your home. First, add a layer of peat stone or river rock around the sides of your home. Next, cut back any bushes that grow close to the sides of your property. Finally, you should have professional experts like Green Home Pest Control treat the yard with tick control products.
Remember: early detection is key when it comes to tick activity, especially infestations near the sides of your home. If you suspect ticks may be more numerous than you thought, you can turn to the pros at Green Home Pest Control for help.
Expert Tick Control Services: Keeping Your Property Tick-Free
Tick prevention isn’t just about protecting your summertime fun but also about keeping your property under control. Hiring an expert pest control service can make a significant difference, and with the team at Green Home Pest Control, getting help has never been easier.
Green Home Pest Control offers a comprehensive tick control program for all property owners in Chandler. We provide thorough inspections of your property for ticks, as well as personalized tick treatments depending on your needs. We currently provide customized solutions for American dog ticks, brown dog ticks, soft bodied ticks, blacklegged ticks, Rocky Mountain ticks, and many more.
Here’s what you can expect from our step-by-step approach to :
- Inspection and identification: Our first order of business is to survey your yard for the signs and symptoms of ticks. Our technicians are trained to identify tick habitats and implement targeted treatments to significantly reduce their numbers. We want to identify possible entry points, look around for conducive conditions, then identify the tick in question (if possible) so we can develop a personalized plan.
- Findings and recommendations: With a detailed record of our findings, it’s time to synthesize a plan to meet your specific needs. We discuss our discoveries with you and your family so you know exactly how ticks have infested your property. Then, we recommend a preferred course of action so you know exactly what your next steps may be. Since we offer same-day and emergency treatments, our team can get started as soon as your schedule allows.
- Communication and blueprinting: Green Home Pest Control believes communication is key to successful tick control. That’s why we create a detailed game plan so you know precisely what our technicians plan to accomplish around your property. In addition to detailed records and an open-door policy, we’re also big fans of an open line of dialogue. Our team is available to answer questions or concerns so you always feel in control of your tick control process. Our services are all about meeting your needs!
- Implementing pest control practices: You know our blueprint, our inspection findings, and the solutions we plan to implement for your property. Now it’s time for us to get started with treatments that easily last the test of time. We use a combination of methods and techniques to and yard, all of which are tied to Integrated Pest Management methodology to ensure your peace of mind.
- Documentation and follow-up: Green Home Pest Control doesn’t just stop after just one tick control visit. We offer ongoing maintenance and seasonal control so you can rest easy about returning populations. Our team can visit your home at a predetermined cadence to ensure there’s not a single crack in your pest control defenses. With our , you can get back to enjoying your yard without worrying about summertime tick bites.
If you are experiencing a tick infestation in Chandler, know the pros at Green Home Pest Control have you covered inside and out. Call us today to schedule a tick control inspection and stay worry-free this summer with our effective residential and .
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