Ticks aren’t just a nuisance pest that you can swat away and forget about. They are potentially dangerous when they latch on to feed since they can transmit diseases to their host. Ticks are most active in summer, so taking preventative measures in spring and throughout the summer can help protect your family and pets from tick-borne diseases. While there are some DIY steps you can take, there are better methods available from pest control professionals. In the Albany area, Thomas Pest Services is your go-to source for tick control and prevention.

Seasonality for Ticks

Some people say that ticks have no season and that it doesn't matter what month it is. But that’s not entirely true as ticks can’t survive in sustained freezing temperatures. So here in Upstate NY, you aren’t likely to encounter ticks on single-digit temperature days. However, a warm-up or unusual temperature spike can cause ticks to become active again, even in winter. Most commonly, however, ticks are very active from late spring through early fall, peaking in the summer months.

Dangers of Ticks

Ticks are parasitic pests that can transmit diseases to both humans and pets. As they latch on and feed, they can pick up illnesses from their host and then pass them on to their next host. In the Northeast, Lyme disease is increasing. Lyme disease can cause flu-like symptoms as well as joint aches and can progress to severe heart and nervous system issues.

Tick Prevention

The number-one thing you can do to prevent tick bites is to be proactive in doing “tick checks” every time you, your family members, or your pets have been outdoors. In addition, if you plan to be in wooded areas, you should wear light-colored clothing, tuck pants into socks, wear long sleeves, and walk in the centers of paths away from tall vegetation. Some people use a DEET-containing tick repellent. For pets, follow your veterinarian's guidelines for flea and tick control

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Profession Pest Control

At Thomas Pest Services, we use a unique and highly effective tick-control method to reduce ticks on your property. We use bait boxes that attract mice, one of the top spreaders of ticks. The mice enter the box and pick up the repellent on their fur. It kills any ticks on their bodies without harming the mice and then, as the mice scurry around, they spread the repellent.

If you’d like to reduce the number of ticks on your Albany-area property, please call us at Thomas Pest Services. We’d be happy to help you by utilizing our proven tick-prevention service.