Can I Get Tick Bite In My Own Backyard?

Most of us feel relatively safe walking around our own backyards. We enjoy playing with our children, talking off our shoes and walking barefoot, entertaining the neighbors around a fire pit, and grilling for family on the Fourth of July. This space is supposed to be fairly risk free. But is it? Can you get a tick bite in your own backyard? In short, the answer is yes and here's what you need to know.Summer in the backyard is synonymous with Mom's Apple Pie and Fenway baseball. It's iconic summer fun! Unfortunately, backyards can also harbor some dangerous pests that could ruin your summer months.[caption id="attachment_5246" align="aligncenter" width="900"]

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Highest Risk Tick Locations

An extensive study published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in LiveScience shows that there is a clear risk of tick bites and the associated Lyme Disease in our area, that includes the northeast from Maine to Pennsylvania and all the states in between.Massachusetts and New Hampshire are most certainly on this list. This area is classified as a high risk area and should be considered before heading outdoors during peak tick season. If you're reading this blog, chances are your home and property fall within this high risk area.

High Risk Tick Season

The tick activity tracker, run by the University of Rhode Island, states that vector-borne diseases such as tick bites that can lead to Lyme Disease or Powassan Disease. Usually, this starts in mid-March and can go through the fall months, with major peaking in June, July, and August.

Are There Ticks In Your Yard?

The short answer to whether ticks can be in your yard is yes. Ticks are not just found in the woods and tall grasses but in your backyard as well. We sit in the middle of a high risk area, during a high risk season as noted from the studies above.Don't be lulled into thinking that since you are close to home that your yard is immune to these pests. We live in a high risk area and are outside during the peak times of the year for ticks.

Preventing Tick Bites Close To Home

Every time you head outdoors, whether it is for a serious hike in the deep woods or to merely swing on the playset in your yard, you should be protecting yourself, your children, and your pets. Here are a few suggestions on how to do this.

• Have a pest company treat your yard. Pest-End's targeted tick treatment plan includes: three targeted applications to your property throughout the course of the season. Tick treatments can begin as soon as the snow melts and applications can continue through the end of the fall.
• Protect yourself and your children using spray on applications of tick repellent that include the ingredients such as DEET, picaridin, IR3535, Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus (OLE), para-menthane-diol (PMD), or 2-undecanone.
• Protect your clothing with products containing 0.5% permethrin. Many campers and outdoor enthusiasts use this product on their clothes, boots, camping gear, hats, socks, backpacks, and any other camping equipment they carry with them.
• Check for ticks and tick bites after being outdoors. The CDC recommends checking certain areas of the body such as underarms, groin, neckline, behind the knees, and in the hair. You may want to shower after being outdoors as many ticks are too small to see and may be loosened with the water or washing activity.

Avoid being complacent about ticks on your property. Talk to our specialists who can suggest a treatment plan that can protect your family all season long.