It’s not a good idea. Tall grass is where ticks wait for hosts to pass by and tick-borne illnesses are becoming more common in West Michigan.
Nobody likes finding ticks on themselves. It’s even worse finding them on your kids or pets. But that said, you might wonder: is it still OK to walk around in tall grass? And to that, our honest answer is that it’s not a good idea.
Ticks wait in shaded, humid places with their legs outstretched in order to latch onto a host. This behavior is called questing. One of the better places for ticks to quest is in tall grass because it gives them a chance to latch right onto the ankles of anyone who walks by, whether that’s you, your kid, or deer running through the yard.
It doesn’t help that blacklegged ticks are becoming more common in West Michigan. These are the ones that carry Lyme disease and unfortunately, their range has expanded to cover more of the state, and in higher populations than used to be the case.
That doesn’t mean you have to abandon the meadows. Rather, it helps to stick to mowed paths where they exist, center-path, and out of the overhanging fringe. If you must be in tall grass, dress in long pants with socks up. You tuck your pants into socks if you are crossing through some seriously overgrown territory. You can also wear permethrin-treated clothing or use repellents with DEET or picaridin.
After coming back inside, check for ticks. They often go for the hairline, ears, waistband, groin, and behind the knees. Remove them promptly if you find them, as that reduces your odds of falling ill.
As for your yard, if you’re looking to reduce the number of ticks present, you can do this by keeping grass mowed and thinning out dense vegetation. It’s also a good idea to consider professional tick control as well.
If you are concerned about the tick population on your property, Mosquito Squad of Grand Rapids can help. Mosquito Squad treats the zones where ticks quest, helping protect your family with up to 90% reduction in pest activity on a recurring cycle.
