Deer ticks

Deer ticks are small pests that cause very serious health problems for humans and domestic pets. Also called black-legged ticks, deer ticks can transmit pathogens that cause Lyme disease, Powassan virus and several other severe medical conditions. The pests get their common name because they often feed on deer, which transport the ticks wherever they roam. Deer ticks are especially prevalent in tall grassy areas that border woodlands.

Identification: Ticks pass through immature stages called larvae and nymphs on their way to adulthood. These immature phases look like adult ticks, only smaller. Nymphs, behind most human tick bites in the U.S., are about the size of a poppy seed. Larvae are even smaller. Adult deer ticks are apple-seed sized, but they become much larger when engorged with blood.

Signs/Damage: To check for deer ticks, slowly drag a white cloth or towel (approximately one square yard) across an area for 15 to 30 seconds. Then check the cloth. Though ticks are small, they'll show against the cloth. If a tick bite develops a rash that expands in a target-like pattern, see your physician immediately. That's a classic sign of Lyme infection.

Control: Protecting your family against tick-related diseases requires thorough protection of your home's lawn, plantings and perimeter. Begin treatment in spring, as nymphs become active. Re-treat areas throughout the season as deer and small mammals reintroduce ticks. GardenTech^® brand offers several highly effective products to kill deer ticks by contact:

• Sevin^® Insect Killer Granules treat lawns, gardens and home perimeters to kill ticks at all life stages and keep protecting for up to three months. Apply the ready-to-use granules with a lawn spreader for thorough, uniform coverage, and then water immediately to release the product's active ingredients.
• Sevin^® Insect Killer Concentrate provides a simple, economical answer to treating tall grassy areas and brushy borders where ticks may wait for humans, pets or wildlife to pass by. Use with a pump-style sprayer, and cover all plant surfaces thoroughly.
• Sevin^® Insect Killer Ready to Spray attaches to a common garden hose for easy treatment of low-hanging shrubs and ground covers around your home. The non-staining formula measures and mixes with hose water as you spray, providing thorough, effective tick coverage.

Tip: When spending time outdoors in tick-prone areas, apply an insect repellent labeled specifically for deer ticks. Wear protective, light-colored clothing, and tuck pant legs into socks to prevent ticks from reaching skin.

Always read product labels and follow the instructions carefully.

GardenTech is a registered trademark of Gulfstream Home and Garden, Inc.

Sevin is a registered trademark of Tessenderlo Kerley, Inc.

PHOTO CREDIT:

• "Juvenile Deer Ticks" by NIH National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases licensed under CC BY 2.0