Ticks are widely feared by homeowners in Oklahoma because their blood-sucking bite can spread dangerous diseases like Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Due to the hot temperatures in Oklahoma, ticks can be active here year-round, though tick season is considered to last from spring until early fall.
While ticks are often picked up while walking through tall grass or wooded areas, these parasitic arachnids may be lurking in your own yard. Ticks can be dried out by direct sunlight, so they tend to hide in shady, moist areas when possible. If there are ticks in your yard in Oklahoma, they’re probably hiding in these areas:
- If your yard borders a woods, ticks are most likely to be found along the edges of this area.
- Ticks will often crawl up tall stalks of grass or weeds, then wait for a person or animal to pass by so they can latch on.
- Piles of firewood, brush or dead leaves offer shade and moisture, making them prime tick hiding spots.
- If you plant dense ground cover around the edges of your home, it may encourage ticks to come closer.
- For homes with outdoor cats or dogs, ticks are likely to lurk in areas where your pet hangs out, such as doghouses.
While it’s difficult to make your yard completely tick-proof, there are some measures you can take to discourage ticks from your property:
- If your lawn borders the woods, create a 3-foot-wide barrier of gravel, sand or woodchips between your yard and the forest. Ticks dislike dry open areas and may be deterred by this barrier.
- Mow your grass regularly, since ticks are less likely to find shelter in short grass.
- Avoid keeping brush piles in your yard and clean up leaf litter regularly to deprive ticks of hiding spots.
- Take measures to discourage wildlife from your yard, since ticks often arrive in the fur of wild animals.
- Use veterinarian-approved tick control products on your dogs and cats during tick season to keep them from bringing ticks into your yard and home.
Can professional tick control help?
If you’ve tried do-it-yourself tick control solutions and they don’t seem to be working, it may be time to consider seeking professional support. A licensed and insured tick control company in Oklahoma will use superior products and methods to eradicate ticks from your yard. Because ticks are a problem throughout much of the year in this area, your tick exterminators will probably have to make several rounds of applications throughout the year to get rid of the pests for good.
Are you in need of professional tick control services in the Oklahoma City metro area? Get in touch with Champion Pest & Lawn today!