Ticks are not only a concern when venturing into the great outdoors—they can also thrive in your own backyard. Colorado, with its abundant grassy, brushy, and wooded areas, provides the perfect environment for ticks to live and hitch a ride on pets or humans. Whether you’re walking your dog, gardening, hiking, or hunting, it’s important to take measures to limit tick exposure both inside and outside your home. Here’s how you can reduce the tick population around your Colorado property and protect yourself and your family from tick bites.
1. Know Where to Expect Ticks
Ticks thrive in tall grasses, brushy areas, and wooded environments, making areas near your home, like lawns, gardens, and forests, prime habitats. In Colorado, ticks are commonly found in these spaces. To avoid exposure, try to stay on well-maintained trails and paths when walking or hiking, and steer clear of areas with dense vegetation. Keeping a safe distance from these high-risk zones will help minimize your chances of encountering ticks.
2. Treat Clothing and Gear
Protecting yourself and your gear is essential when heading outdoors. You can treat your clothing, boots, and camping gear with a product containing 0.5% permethrin, which remains effective even after several washes. Alternatively, consider buying pre-treated gear for added convenience. Additionally, use EPA-registered insect repellents with active ingredients like DEET, picaridin, or IR3535. Be sure to follow the product instructions carefully to maximize effectiveness. Remember, children under 3 years old should not use products containing Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus (OLE) or PMD.
3. Check for Ticks After Outdoor Activities
Ticks can easily hitch a ride on your clothing, pets, and gear. After spending time outdoors, always check yourself, your children, and your pets for ticks. It’s also a good idea to tumble-dry your clothes on high heat for 10 minutes, as heat will kill ticks. If your clothes are damp, additional drying time may be needed. For a more thorough cleaning, wash your clothes in hot water to ensure any ticks are removed.
4. Shower After Being Outdoors
Showering within two hours of coming inside can help reduce the risk of tick-borne illnesses like Lyme disease by washing off any unattached ticks. This is a great time to do a full body tick check, especially around areas like your armpits, ears, and scalp, where ticks are more likely to attach.
5. Conduct a Full Tick Check
Perform a thorough tick check after every outdoor activity. Be sure to check under the arms, behind the knees, around the waist, in and around the ears, between the legs, and in the hair. Use a handheld or full-length mirror to help inspect hard-to-see areas.
How to Safely Remove a Tick
If you find a tick attached to your skin, it’s essential to remove it properly to avoid any potential health risks. Follow these steps from the CDC:
Photo: Instructions on how to remove a tick, from the CDC.
- Using fine-tipped tweezers, grasp the tick as close to the skin’s surface as possible.
- Pull straight up with steady, even pressure—avoid twisting or jerking, as this could cause the tick’s mouthparts to break off.
- If parts of the tick are left in the skin and can be easily removed, carefully use tweezers to remove them. If not, leave them to heal naturally.
- Clean the bite area and your hands with rubbing alcohol or soap and water.
- Dispose of the tick by placing it in alcohol, sealing it in a container, taping it securely, or flushing it down the toilet.
Reducing the Tick Population in Your Yard
To limit tick populations in your yard, the CDC recommends several strategies:
- Clear leaf litter, tall grasses, and brush around your home and the edges of your lawn to reduce tick habitats.
- Create a 3-foot barrier of wood chips or gravel between your lawn and wooded areas to prevent ticks from migrating into your recreational spaces.
- Mow your lawn regularly to keep grass short and less hospitable to ticks.
- Stack firewood neatly in a dry area to deter rodents, which can attract ticks.
- Position playground equipment, decks, and patios away from yard edges and trees, as these areas are tick-friendly.
- Use fences to keep out unwanted animals like deer and raccoons, which can carry ticks into your yard.
- Remove old furniture and trash from your yard, as these items provide ideal hiding spots for ticks.
Reducing Tick Exposure Around Your Home
In addition to these preventive measures, you may also consider applying pesticides to control ticks in your yard. While pesticides are effective, they should be used in conjunction with other methods, like keeping your yard tidy. Always follow the label instructions and check with local health or agricultural officials about any local regulations regarding pesticides. Lastly, if ticks are too problematic in your area, contact Front Range Pest for assistance in managing and reducing the tick population on your property.
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Front Range Pest is your trusted, family-owned pest and wildlife control company serving central Colorado and southern Wyoming. Our certified technicians have the expertise and credentials to ensure effective pest management for your home or business. As your all-in-one insect and wildlife specialists, we offer peace of mind by identifying wildlife entry points, removing nuisance pests, sealing access areas, performing cleanup, and making essential repairs. Schedule an inspection with us today.
Written by the Digital Marketing Team at Creative Programs & Systems: https://www.cpsmi.com/.
