Summer, the season of hiking and camping, is loved and awaited by all in the US. Unfortunately, the fun-filled days and the adventurous outing bring along the ticks. Blacklegged ticks or deer ticks are causing great concern in Texas because they can cause Lyme disease. Tick bites carry diseases like the Rocky Mountain spotted fever, human anaplasmosis, tularemia, and rickettsiosis. Common symptoms include a red spot, a full body rash, or a fever. Seek medical advice immediately after a tick bite, even if you do not have any symptoms.
Prevention is the best option to avoid infection from tick bites. Tick repellents can protect those planning for outdoor activity. Many pesticides and tick repellents, including natural and synthetic ones, can be purchased based on natural ingredients.
Here are some ways to repel ticks in the first place:
- Many landscaping plants have tick-repellent qualities; these bugs cannot tolerate the plants’ smell, textures, and oils. Plants like garlic, sage, mint, lavender, beautyberry, rosemary, and marigolds effectively repel ticks. These plants can be used in landscaping borders around the walkways, pet runs, patios, and even on window sills to keep away the ticks.
- Deer and mice are the animals that carry ticks. Make sure you take steps to discourage their visits to your homes. Plant those shrubs that deer dislike to eat, use proper and robust fences to keep them away, and clean the trash daily so that mice stay away from invading your homes. Furthermore, make sure to clean the bird feeders. Make good traps and other deterrents to ward off these transporters from your yard.
- Ticks thrive in moist, shaded areas, so do not pile overgrown plants and long grasses that are ideal for these insects. Pruning the grasses and other plants will keep away the ticks from your backyard. Ticks hate to live in sunny, manicured lawns. Cedar chips for mulch can discourage ticks because the cedar oils are natural tick-repellent; use them in your garden.
- You can choose some birds that happily feed on ticks. Wild birds, especially jays, robins, and bluebirds, are happy to munch on these insects. Chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys, and guinea fowl eat ticks and help to keep your yard tick-free. Another way to avoid these unwanted invaders is to spray a pesticide containing bifenthrin, a strong chemical for ticks, along the perimeter of your yard. You can opt for a natural spray like Wondercide, a plant-based repellent that does not cause any hazard to pets, plants, or small children. It is made from the essential oils of the cedar.
- Wearing loose-fitting clothes covering your skin while hiking or outdoors can help keep ticks from attaching to your clothes. Light-colored clothes can easily spot ticks if you have them on your clothes, and you can quickly remove them. Check your full body for ticks after every outdoor activity. Look under your arms, in and around the ears, the backs of your knees, in the hair and body hair. Keep your dogs clean too.
- Natural oils from rosemary, cedar, lemongrass, peppermint, and more are toxic to ticks. These homemade repellent recipes should be incorporated into sprays to repel ticks.
For professional assistance, try calling Accurate Pest Control for the best pest control services in San Antonio