deer tick crawling on leaves

Deer ticks, or blacklegged ticks, are appropriately named, as they are often found on deer. You might think that with these ticks' target being deer that people wouldn't need to worry about them, but they aren't only found on deer. They can be found right outside your door in New York and they will feed on humans if they’re hungry. These ticks, like most, can be very dangerous to your health.

Ticks in New York might not be something you think about frequently, but an infestation is possible. At the first signs that these pests are nearby, you'll want to get rid of ticks that are in your yard or home to better protect yourself and your family. Our team at Pestmaster® Services can be just the New York pest control company you need to solve your tick problem.

How To Identify Deer Ticks

Identifying deer ticks can be tricky because of their small size. You can pick them up by walking through tall grass and are more likely to come across them if you live near wildlife. Deer ticks have a flat oval shape and brown hue. These ticks can be deadly, so you’ll want to stay vigilant. Here are a few ways you can prevent them:

Keep your grass cut low.
Remove any trash or clutter from your yard.
Wear long sleeves and long pants when working around your yard.
Always check yourself and your pets for ticks after spending time outdoors.

Tick protection can be tough to maintain on your own when they are so small and hard to spot, and even if you are bitten, you might not even realize you’ve had a tick on you because of their size. It is possible, however, to keep both your home and yard protected from these bugs.

Diseases Deer Ticks Spread

One of the main reasons deer tick control is so necessary is due to the many diseases they carry. A single tick bite can leave you at risk and you can get bitten by merely walking through your yard. These diseases include:

Lyme disease
Powassan virus
Babesiosis
Ehrlichiosis (closely related to Rocky Mountain spotted fever)
Anaplasmosis

Nearly all of these diseases have the potential to be fatal, especially to elderly people. Some of these diseases can also be spread by other types of ticks in New York, so general tick prevention is always a good precautionary measure.

When Deer Ticks Are Active

Deer ticks in different stages have different levels of activity over the course of a year. Deer tick nymphs are most active in the late spring through the summer; however, once they reach adulthood, they become most active in the later months of the year, around October and November. Since deer ticks can transmit diseases throughout several of their life stages, ticks are a concern anytime during the year when the temperature is above freezing. Many other ticks in New York are more active in the spring, but the colder season doesn't seem to bother deer ticks as much.

How To Control Deer Ticks

When you want to control deer ticks, there is no natural tick prevention that will give you satisfying results, due to how many unseen ticks there may be in an area, and the difficulty in interrupting the tick's life cycle. The best thing you can do to keep the ticks away is to give our team at Pestmaster® Services a call. We can implement a tick protection plan around your home to keep you and your family safe.

There are many different types of ticks in New York, but with our skilled eye and more than 20 years of experience, we can best determine how to help. Our team at Pestmaster® Services can provide you with tick control you can rely on. So take action and never settle for anything less than the best with Pestmaster® Services today.