The Best Way to Time Tick Treatment

tick treatment, bucks county tick treatmentLast year, a customer wrote to us with a number of very important questions concerning the timing of tick treatments. Because the egg-laying season of ticks in the Bucks County and Montgomery County areas in once again upon us, we figured this would be an ideal time of year to share our response with all of you.

—Peter Benz (Founder, Peter Benz Landscaping)

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Q. When do adult ticks lay their eggs and hatch?

Adult ticks will lay their eggs in the spring, which will then hatch into larvae in the summer season. The larvae tend to become most active in the month of August. At this point, these ticks do not have Lyme disease, because they must feed on an infected host in order to become infected.

Q. What are the life stages of a tick?

A tick has three life stages over a two-year period. There is one blood meal (feeding) per stage before they molt into the next stage. Remember, though, that a newly hatched larvae cannot pass Lyme disease onto a human, because they don’t yet have the disease. The disease must be picked up from an infected host. That host is usually a mouse.

After its one blood meal, the larvae will transform into nymphs in the fall. This is the most dangerous life-stage of a deer tick, because they are still as tiny as larvae, but may now be carriers of Lyme disease.

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The Definitive Guide to Preventing Lyme Disease

lyme disease preventionSpring is almost here, and so it’s time once again to turn our attention to preventing Lyme disease. Everyone is susceptible to Lyme disease, especially those who garden, hike, camp or play outdoors on a regular basis.

Did you know the CDC has estimated that some 300,000 people are diagnosed with Lyme disease each year in the United States? (Incredibly, less than 30,000 cases are reported annually.) People who live in the Northeastern, mid-Atlantic and upper Midwestern states are especially vulnerable to Lyme disease.

Let’s take a look at a few different ways to prevent Lyme disease.
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Deer Tick Questions and Prevention Methods

Deer Tick Close UpWhat’s a Deer Tick?

Deer ticks are also known as “black legged ticks,” and can be confused with other kinds of ticks, especially dog ticks. They live by attaching to and then feeding off of unsuspecting hosts; their favorite host is the white tailed deer, as their name suggests.

What They Look Like

Small, brown and flat, deer ticks have eight black legs. Because of their small size and unobtrusive color, they appear nearly invisible; they’re about the size of a sesame seed. They’ll turn rust-colored or brownish-red after they’ve fed.

How You Acquire Them

Contrary to what is sometimes popular belief, deer ticks don’t “jump onto” their hosts. Instead, they make their way to your clothing or your pets’ fur by simply “brushing onto” you or your pets as you pass.

Why They’re Dangerous

  • They carry bacteria and viruses – which can be transmitted to you and your pets

Dear ticks can be dangerous because they are carriers of many bacteria and viruses, which they can pass them on to you once they bite you. Deer ticks are the primary carriers of Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacterium that causes Lyme disease.

  • You won’t feel the bite

The deer tick bite is painless when it occurs, so that you won’t feel it. You won’t know that you’ve been bitten until you begin to have symptoms of illness – which is why it’s imperative that you don’t get them on you at all. And remember, your pets are at risk, too. Read more about Deer Tick Questions and Prevention Methods

Landscaping Tips To Reduce Ticks On Your Property

By: Robert Oley, PE, MSPH, Public Health Consultant

Tick Control- Bucks County PAThe primary goal of a tick management plan for one’s home and surrounding property is to create low-risk tick zones within commonly used areas. These low-risk zones should include recreational, eating, entertainment and gardening areas, as well as spaces close to walkways, storage sheds, firewood piles, and mailboxes.

Ticks require a high humidity environment to survive, and need vertebrate hosts to feed on to be able to grow and reproduce. Without these two key elements, ticks just cannot sustain themselves. If you want to make your property safer from ticks, you must cut down on the number of potential tick hosts, while at the same time creating a drier, less inviting landscape for ticks.

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Lyme Disease Protocol

Tick Control Bucks County

At Peter Benz Landscaping we put a strong focus on helping our clients prevent the spread of Lyme disease through a variety of tick control services in Bucks County. These services include the installation of deer fencing and Damminix Tick Tubes. If you or someone you know has already been diagnosed with the disease, here are some helpful suggestions on how to take care of yourself.

Diet

The bacteria and microbes of the disease feed on glucose for energy so you should try and cut as much as this out as you can. This means to eat less of sweets and simple carbohydrates like cakes, pastas and breads. Lyme microbes can actually produce chemicals that can make you crave sweets so that you can feed them. The more you are able to avoid giving into them, the better you will feel. Resist the urge to feed the problem!

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