Prevent tick bites when heading outdoors

Head burrowing, blood sucking arachnids – need I say more? I actually should! It is summer when there is high chances of tick attacks. I was going to say activity, but really attack IS the activity they do. Their hobby is to burrow their heads under your skin and drink your blood until they are so full and plump and about to burst. Nasty. The thing of horror stories. If that were it, we could all just learn to take them off and be about our way, but the truth is that it’s only the beginning. The nightmare gets worse. Webbed feet upon forehead! I can’t even. These spider-looking bugs spread Lyme disease and other serious diseases. So if you want to stay alive (sorry for the drama, but it’s pretty serious), then read about what you can do below.

Avoid Ticks When heading outdoors to wooded areas

LOCATION:

Even though you are adventurous, you need to know locations where ticks are more likely to be. Ticks live in grassy, brushy or wooded areas. Try to avoid areas with tall grass, dense woods and always walk in the center of trails. It is a myth that ticks fall from trees, instead they climb up onto their hosts from tall grass.

ATTIRE:

You can treat clothing (not skin) with products that have .5% permethrin which can kill a variety of insects.
Also, you can use EPA approved products that contain DEET and other ingredients that would help repel ticks. However, these strong products should not be used on toddlers or babies.
Wear light clothes with a tight weave to spot ticks
Tuck it in! Wear long sleeves and long pants if possible. Tuck your shirt in and tuck your pants into your shoes.
Wear enclosed shoes such as boots or sneakers.
Check your friends or family members for ticks periodically while outdoors

ARRIVAL:

After coming home from the outdoor fun, be sure to do a full-body check on each family member for ticks. Body parts to check are: Under the arms, In and around the ears, Inside belly button, Back of the knees, In and around the hair, Between the legs, and Around the waist.
Make sure every one takes showers within 2 hours of arrival to more easily spot ticks.
It is also important to check pets if they have gone outdoors as well, since ticks love to attack pets as well.
A cool hack to kill any possible ticks on clothing is to tumble dry on high heat for 10 minutes.

AT HOME:

Reduce shady and damp areas around your property and clear any leaf litter or seeds from the ground.
Be sure to have only deer-resistant plants and consider installing a deer fence to help reduce deer from dispersing ticks.

These are just some preventive measure you can take to avoid being attacked by ticks, but to make sure your home or property is free of ticks, contact us at 1-800-572-9797 to set up an inspection and a plan to keep your home pest free.