Habitat Management and Cultural Practices: Smart Tips to Decrease the Risk of Lyme and Other Tick-borne Diseases on Your Property
Ticks love damp, dark environments, so if your property has moist or wooded areas, it likely has a tick population. Ticks also love to latch on to two common animals: deer and white-footed mice. If deer or mice tend to roam your property, there’s a good chance they might be carrying ticks.
Here are ways you can reduce the number of ticks your family and pets will encounter on your property:
- Reduce shady and damp areas in the parts of your lawn where the family recreates. Ticks prefer moisture, so fewer ticks will occupy the sunny areas of the lawn.
- Keep the grass mowed, and keep weeds, leaf litter, and brush away from your home. Ticks can’t live in short vegetation.
- Do not situate bird feeders near play and recreation areas, since they attract hungry deer (as well as a variety of other creatures!)
- Keep family recreational areas and play equipment a good distance away from the wood piles, stone walls, and other structures where mice often shelter.
- Establish boundaries. Research shows approximately 90% of deer ticks on a property will be found in the ecotone area—the transition area between your yard and the woodline — while less than 2% will be found in lawn areas. So it’s wise to establish a three-foot gravel or wood-chip buffer zone between your yard and adjacent wooded areas and fields. The buffer also serves as a good “keep out!” visual cue for the kids.
- Implement SavATree’s Organic Tick Programs to reduce risk.
Call today for a complimentary consultation to learn how our customized Tick Control programs can provide safety, effectiveness — and peace of mind.
