05/03/2026
๐ข Tick Awareness Week is an annual campaign to raise awareness about tick-borne diseases and provide prevention tips as temperatures rise and people start spending more time outdoors. ๐ท๏ธ Here are some tips to keep you and your family safe.
โ๏ธ Dress Smart and Use Repellent
When heading into potential tick habitats, take proactive measures to prevent bites. Wear Light-Colored Clothing: This makes it easier to spot small, crawling ticks before they attach. Cover Up: Wear long sleeves, long pants, and tuck your pants into your socks to prevent ticks from crawling up your legs. Use EPA-Registered Repellents: Use bug sprays containing DEET or Picaridin on your skin, and treat clothing and gear with permethrin.
โ๏ธ Perform "Tick Checks" Immediately
Always do a full-body check on yourself, children, and pets immediately after being outdoors, especially if you have been in grassy, wooded, or leaf-littered areas. Ticks are tiny and like to hide in "nooks and crannies".
โ๏ธ Create a "Tick-Safe Zone" at Home
Ticks don't just live in the woods; they can be in your backyard. Make your home less inviting to them: Mow Lawns Frequently: Keep your grass and landscaping well-trimmed. Remove Leaf Litter: Clear tall grasses, brush, and leaf litter around your home. Create Barriers: Place a 3-foot wide barrier of wood chips or gravel between your lawn and wooded areas to restrict tick migration. Professional Pest Control: Our professional applications create a protective barrier around your property to help keep ticks away from your family and pets.
If you find a tick, remove it promptly with fine-tipped tweezers by pulling straight up, do not twist, and watch for symptoms like a rash or fever in the following weeks.