Texas ticks get big. Some can even grow as big as a sunflower seed! In this area, you’ll likely encounter American dog ticks, black-legged or deer ticks, brown dog ticks and Lone Star ticks. Although they are arachnids much like spiders, they don’t spin nests to trap their prey. Instead, they climb onto people or animals passing by and embed themselves in your skin so that they can enjoy a meal of fresh blood.
Risks of Ticks
Ticks are more than just annoying: They also carry a variety of potentially serious diseases and infections, including Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, anaplasmosis, ehrlichiosis and babesiosis. Ticks can hide in a wide range of places, and whenever you or your pets go outside, they can climb onto your clothing or feed on your blood. They can also hitchhike and travel into your home, making it easier to feed and reproduce.
Where Do Ticks Hide?
Ticks are strategic. They like to hide in tall vegetation that gives them easier access to their preferred hosts. Although many people associate ticks with a day in the woods, they are also quite likely to be hiding in your backyard. That’s because anywhere that animals can be found, ticks can be found, too, especially if it is a suitable habitat.
Common tick hotspots include:
- Lawn edging, especially shrubbery, borders and ground cover
- Lawn debris, such as leaf piles and grass clippings
- Wood piles
- Brick or stone walls
- The park or dog park
- The veterinarian’s office
Other Unexpected Tick Hiding Spots
Once a tick has found a host, it will tend to look for places that provide good cover, which means that it can be hard to find and remove. When you come in from a potentially tick-infested area, you need to check your entire body, especially in skin folds and creases and under hair.
Top tick hiding spots include:
- On the scalp or under other hair
- Behind the ears
- At the back of the neck
- In the armpits
- Under breasts
- In the belly button
- In the groin and buttocks areas
- Behind knees
- Between toes
Getting Ticks Under Control
Although clearing away common tick hiding spots, such as leaf piles and wood piles, will help somewhat, there are no DIY or over-the-counter products that will effectively rid your property of these little blood-suckers. Hart Pest Control offers professional tick control services that are fast, affordable and reliable. We offer same-day service on not just ticks but also other common Texas pests. Contact Hart Pest Control today to learn more or to schedule an appointment.