Fleas and ticks are tiny parasites that feed on blood. They are small and often hard to spot but can cause significant harm to humans and pets. Though they ingest only tiny amounts of blood, fleas and ticks are dangerous pests that can spread various blood-borne diseases.
Here are some tips for keeping fleas and ticks out of your lawn in Lewisville, Texas!
What Do Fleas & Ticks Look Like?
Ticks and fleas are similar but have noticeable differences. Ticks are typically larger than fleas and can grow up to 1/4 inch in length. Fleas are only 1/16 and 1/8 inches long. Fleas are nearly invisible!
Fleas are wingless insects with an antenna and eight legs. Ticks are arachnids and closely related to spiders, featuring eight legs and lacking an antenna.
While both are typically dark brown in color, ticks can have different color variations, including brown, reddish-brown, or black. Interestingly, fleas can jump several times their height. Ticks latch themselves on the host as it passes by.
Are Fleas & Ticks Dangerous?
Fleas and ticks carry many pathogens as they feed on various animals and pick up harmful blood-borne diseases. These diseases spread as ticks move from one host to another.
Some diseases and pathogens fleas and ticks carry include Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, babesiosis, ehrlichiosis, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, bubonic plagues, tularemia, murine typhus, and bartonellosis.
How To Keep Fleas and Ticks Off Your Lawn
You can make your lawn less attractive to fleas and ticks. We listed a few steps to try below:
Establish Barriers
Put up treated fencing between your lawn and any woods to discourage ticks from entering your property. You can also consider a wood chip barrier.
Keep Your Lawn Maintained
Mow your grass, trim plants, branches, and vegetation, and eliminate debris like piles of leaves. Fleas and ticks are more likely to inhabit spaces that offer shade and a safe hiding spot.
Be sure to prune shrubs and trees to allow more sunlight and eradicate moisture and avoid over-watering your lawn, as fleas like to hang out and nest in moist areas.
Maintain Cleanliness
Fleas and ticks prefer cluttered areas, which provide them safe spots to live and breed. Clean and treat cool, shady areas where your pet hangs out, like under the deck or low-hanging shrubs.
Additionally, clear away the trash from your garden and yard waste, and clean your storage areas.
Protect Your lawn
Consider introducing nematodes, microscopic worms that actively hunt and kill fleas, to your yard. You may also use lawn treatments that deter surface insects, including ants, fleas, ticks, and grubs.
Be Careful When Going Outdoors
Take a few precautionary measures when heading outdoors to protect yourself from fleas and ticks. Avoid walking in areas with tall grass or brush while remaining in the centers of hiking trails.
Got Fleas and Ticks? Call Us for Help!
While you can try several DIY techniques to keep fleas and ticks off your lawn, the best prevention is to seek help from a professional exterminator to get ongoing flea treatment and a tick control plan for your pets.
At Romney Pest Control, we have a wide range of effective pest control treatment and prevention programs to help you reclaim your outdoor space against a flea infestation. To learn more about our services or if you need help keeping fleas and ticks out of your lawn, speak to us today!
