5 Tips for Tick Prevention in Hendersonville, TN
With so many nearby parks, woods, and recreation areas in Hendersonville and the Nashville area proper, there are plenty of reasons to get outdoors and enjoy your surroundings. But in every season, being aware of ticks is important for keeping you, your family, and your pets safe.
At U.S. Pest Protection in Hendersonville, we’re pest control and prevention experts. Ticks are no exception. Let’s look at five ways to keep ticks from sucking the joy out of your outdoor adventures.
Know Your Ticks
There are several different species of ticks in Hendersonville, and they can carry a variety of diseases, such as ehrlichiosis, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and Lyme disease. Being able to tell the difference between an American dog tick and a lone star tick can help you understand your risk.
It’s also a good idea to know the tick life cycle. Larvae, sometimes called seed ticks, are tiny and can swarm by the hundreds in late summer, and multiple lone star larvae bites are linked to alpha-gal syndrome. Nymphs, about the size of a poppy seed, cause most human illness because they’re so hard to see. Adults are larger and easier to spot.
American Dog Tick
American dog ticks get their name from their favorite host, dogs, but they’ll readily bite people too. In Tennessee, they’re the main carrier of Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and they’re most active from spring through summer.
Brown Dog Tick
The brown dog tick is a plain reddish-brown color and is commonly found on dogs. Unlike most ticks, it can live and breed indoors year-round.
Lone Star Tick
Lone star ticks get their name from the single white spot on the backs of adult females. They’re the most common biting tick in Middle Tennessee and will readily move toward people and pets. They spread ehrlichiosis, Tennessee’s most reported tick-borne disease, and their bites can trigger alpha-gal syndrome, a delayed allergy to red meat.
Black-Legged Tick
Also called the deer tick, this species has dark legs that contrast with its orange-red body. It carries Lyme disease, is becoming more common in Middle Tennessee, and can bite on any day above freezing, with adults most active from October through May.
Regularly Check for Ticks After Time Outside
Frequent tick checks are important. Some tick-borne illnesses can spread within hours of a bite, so check often and remove ticks right away. Make a habit of checking for ticks while you do other normal daily activities, such as changing clothes or showering. Pay close attention to the areas behind your knees, under your arms, and even in your belly button. If you find an attached tick, remove it with fine-tipped tweezers, pulling straight out. You may want to save it in case you start feeling sick, and call your doctor if you develop a fever, rash, or headache.
Treat Outdoor Clothing with Tick Repellant
Permethrin is an EPA-registered treatment for clothing and gear, and it’s one of the most effective ways to keep ticks off you. Treat kids’ camp clothing, your yard work clothes, or hiking gear before heading out to the woods, following the label directions. You can even treat your shoes, which helps keep ticks from climbing up on you once you’re outdoors.
Keep Your Pets Protected
Don’t skimp on flea and tick prevention for your pets, even during the winter months. Ticks in Middle Tennessee are active all year long, so keep using preventive tick treatments on both your pets and your yard.
Treat Your Yard for Ticks, Fleas, and Mosquitoes
Our year-round tick control treats yards and landscaped areas every 30 days to keep tick larvae, nymphs, and adults under control, with mosquitoes and fleas covered March through November. Our licensed technicians apply products according to label directions, using hand-held equipment such as spreaders and backpack sprayers.
Set Up Regular Pest Prevention with U.S. Pest Protection
One of the best ways to keep your Hendersonville home protected from ticks—and pests of all types—is regular pest treatments from a U.S. Pest technician. In addition to targeted pest treatments, our experts can help identify areas of concern in and around your home that could be attractive to pests of all sorts, especially ticks. To get started, schedule your appointment for a free inspection today.
