The Complete Guide To Effective Tick Control For Columbia, SC Properties
October 25, 2021
Wherever there is nature or rodents in Columbia, there could be ticks. These dangerous parasites rely on humans and animals for nutrients. As they feed on your blood, they have the potential to make you sick. Learn what it takes to keep ticks in Columbia away and how a professional can protect you.
Which Columbia Ticks You Should Worry About
In Columbia, there are three ticks you should worry about encountering. The first is the one responsible for spreading Lyme disease - the blacklegged tick. This tick is smaller than the other locals, and larvae could be the size of a poppyseed. If you find an adult backlegged tick, a male will be mostly brown while the female will be brown with a more reddish lower body.
Another local tick is the dog tick. Although this mottled brown tick mostly preys on dogs, it sometimes picks human hosts. They don't carry Lyme disease but do have the potential to spread tularemia, and Rocky Mountain spotted fever.
Lastly, you may come across the lone star tick. This tick is easily identified by a star-like white mark on its back. It can transmit a disease similar to Lyme but has a different name - STARI. Much like Lyme disease, this one can start with a circular rash.
Where Ticks Live
If you know any about parasites, you know that they don't usually put much effort into finding hosts. Ticks sit around on grasses and leaves, hoping for a host to come by. As soon as a person or animal brushes past them, the tick clings on. They crawl until they find a warm, exposed spot of the skin and embed themselves.
Because of this habit, ticks prefer to stay in places with dense vegetation. This doesn't mean that your yard is safe, though. Sometimes, ticks pick animal hosts. They cling onto squirrels, rats, and mice and feed. When they're done feeding, the ticks drop off wherever the host leaves them. At times, this could be the middle of the woods. But, at other times, it could be in your backyard.
Even though ticks prefer outdoor living, they could be brought into your home by a pet the same way a rat could bring a tick into your yard. If you don't give your pets a flea preventative, there's a high chance of them bringing ticks into your home.
How You Can Keep Ticks Out
If you don't want to have a run-in with a tick in Columbia, you should take precautions. These tips will deter ticks and make your home a safer place:
Clean Up Your Yard: When you have tall grass and thick bushes in your yard, rodents may choose to hang out on your property. The vegetation gives the parasites carried into your yard plenty of hiding spots.
Put Lids On Your Garbage Cans: While ticks don't care what's in your garbage, rodents do. To make your property less appealing to the hosts of ticks, keep lids on your garbage cans. Don't keep bags of garbage outside of your cans, regardless of the amount of trash you have.
Use Tick Prevention On Your Pets: Rather than leave your pets vulnerable to ticks, give them a tick preventative treatment. You can consult with your veterinarian for more information.
Get Professional Help
For complete tick prevention, you need to work with a team of professionals. Here at Go-Forth Pest Control, we work hard to make your yard a tick-free zone. Our experts have years of training and experience in tick control. We know what it takes to keep you safe from ticks. If you need advice or assistance regarding tick control in Columbia, call us now.
Previous Next
