Georgia’s tick season starts in April and continues through October and learning about tick prevention will help keep you, your family, and your pets safe.  Typically found in grassy outdoor areas, ticks can find their way onto clothing or skin and be tracked back inside.  A trip to the park or weekend camping adventure, or even playing in the backyard can lead to unwanted problems with ticks. Local Exterminator is here to help with professional tick control for your property.

It is important to know the different types of ticks as well as where they live.  This will help you know how to protect against becoming an unknowing host and getting bitten as a result, which can lead to possible diseases.  There are five common tick types in Georgia.  Each has different qualities to them, but all have the same trait as being something you don’t want to deal with.  Let’s look at the facts:

Deer Ticks – Smaller than dog ticks, they live in wooded areas with trees, bushes, and grass that provide shelter as well as potential food sources.  A lot of times these sources turn out to be deer, thus the name.  They do not jump, hop, swim, or fly.  Instead, they crawl and move from either plant to a host or from one host to another host.  Branches, leaves, animal fur, etc. can all be potential means of travel for deer ticks.

Brown Dog Ticks – Are roughly one-quarter of an inch in length and dark reddish-brown in color with no markings.  They are also named as such for the animal they typically choose as host.  While they also can attach to any living creature, their habitats tend to be areas with heavy vegetation and tall grasses.  Therefore, yards and dogs tend to both be at the ready for this tick.

American Dog Ticks – This species of tick is also one-quarter of an inch in length and a dark reddish-brown in color with a mark on their top.  Once again tall grasses are an ideal habitat for them, as well as wooded areas.

Gulf Coast Ticks – Also smaller than dog ticks and light brown in color with a marking on their top.  These ticks live in grassy environments such as grass and trees.  Because of their originating location in coastal areas, many of their hosts are birds.  This results in the chances of them being carried to locations farther than they might reach normally.  From there they find new environments.  Then, they find new hosts.

Lone Star Ticks – Reddish-brown color and a quarter inch in length with a mark on the middle of their backs.  Their typical habitat is wooded areas so various woodland animals can serve as a host.  As the ticks travel, wooded areas become grassy areas and wild animal hosts are exchanged for pets and also humans.

Now that you know the different types of ticks that call Georgia home, it is important to learn how to prevent and handle an infestation.  This aspect is the same for all ticks.  So ahead is a general overview.

Whether it is just a day out or a trip you are planning, know what precautions might help reduce your chances of encountering tick problems.  If you are doing yard work, wear repellant, and make sure to check your clothing, hair, and body carefully when finished.  While camping or hunting it is advisable to wear long-sleeved clothing and pants, with the hems tucked into your shoes and gloves.  This helps prevent ticks from using plants or animals to make their way to you.

Also, make sure to protect your pets.  Ticks can get lost in the fur of dogs and cats.  If your animal has been outside, go through their fur with a comb and bathe them if necessary.  Make sure to look for signs of ticks behind their ears, under the collar, and any area where their fur or skin may provide any kind of hiding spot.

If you, a family member, or a pet have been bitten by a tick it is important to remove the pest carefully to avoid further injury or infection.  Tweezers are typically helpful in this instance.  Also, make sure to remove all of the body of the tick, head included.  This can be difficult since part or all of the tick can find it’s way under the skin.

Ticks can transmit a variety of diseases including Lyme disease, rocky mountain spotted fever, anaplasmosis, babesiosis, and tularemia.  Monitor all humans and animals for affected behavior and please seek medical or veterinary treatment if needed.  Make sure to protect your family from ticks this Summer by protecting your home.

Local Exterminator Can protect your home.   Based in Kennesaw, Georgia, Local Exterminator Inc. is a family-owned and operated pest control company with over three decades of experience keeping homes and businesses protected against ticks and several other pests.  Our services include pest control, termite control, wildlife control, and mosquito control.  Contact us online or call us today at (855) 7822-825 for professional tick prevention and control.