Learn how to protect your family from ticks this spring/summer.
Many ticks are active all year-round, but the risk of human infection is greatest in the late spring and summer. Blacklegged ticks, or deer ticks, are the primary carrier of Lyme Disease, so it is crucial to take preventative steps for controlling the deer tick population around your home. Scientific Plant Service offers services to control fleas and ticks in your lawn and landscape through the use of tick tubes or insecticides and repellents. Continue reading to learn how to protect yourself from ticks this season, and call Scientific Plant Service when you are ready to schedule an appointment.
Species Of Ticks In Maryland
Ticks should be taken seriously, as they can carry severe diseases that affect humans as well as pets. Not all ticks carry disease-causing pathogens, but they can acquire them by feeding on infected wildlife. If a disease-infected tick bites you, it takes about 24-48 hours to transmit the pathogen if the tick remains attached.
There are five species of ticks found in Maryland, and all five are capable of transmitting diseases. You can identify a tick based on the shape, color, and pattern of the plate or scutum behind their head. Two popular species in the Maryland area include the wood tick and the deer tick. The American dog tick, or wood tick, commonly feeds on dogs and humans and transmits Rocky Mountain spotted fever, tularemia, and tick paralysis. They have large, white markings on their scutum, and will be found in areas with little or no tree cover. Adult wood ticks are most active from April to early August. The Blacklegged tick, or deer tick, is mainly found in deciduous forests and is the primary carrier of Lyme disease, but can also spread anaplasmosis, babesiosis, and Powassan disease. Adult ticks feed during the winter on white-tailed deer and are active all year round in Maryland.
Tick Prevention In Your Yard
Now that spring has arrived, it’s time to start taking steps toward tick prevention around your home and yard. Lawn maintenance is a significant step in keeping ticks away, as it’s crucial to keep weeds down and keep the grass mowed. Be sure to trim back vegetation along any paths and trails in your yard, as well as the property edges. Prune your plants to increase sunlight and lower humidity, and avoid overwatering your grass and plants.
It’s also important to reduce rodent habitat and control deer around your property, as deer are an essential host during the life cycle of ticks. The use of deer repellent reduces the number of deer in your landscape, which in turn helps to lower the tick populations. Be sure to contact one of our plant health care advisors at Scientific Plant Service today if you have any questions about tick prevention or if you would like to schedule an appointment with us.
Scientific Plant Service Is Your Go-To Source In Landscape Healthcare
Scientific Plant Service, located in Baltimore, is a privately-owned corporation, chartered in Maryland in 1957 by Frank J. Burke. We started as a full-service Arborist specializing in the care of shade trees and ornamental shrubs, but today we are a lawn and total landscape care company that is a huge part of the community. From aquatic environments and snow management to deer and mole control, SPS has services tailored specifically for your lawn and landscape.
We offer services in Maryland, Washington DC, and Virginia, including Harford, Baltimore, Carroll, Frederick, Howard, Anne Arundel, Montgomery, Prince Georges, Talbot, Calvert counties in MD, as well as Loudoun County, Fairfax County, Arlington, Alexandria, and Falls Church in VA. For more information, contact us online, or call us at 410-321-0970. Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Pinterest!