With a recent admission to having Lyme Disease, singer Avril Lavigne has thankfully increased awareness to an illness that has become an epidemic in our area with no signs of it slowing down. According to the CDC, there are an average of 300,000 cases of the disease in the US each year. Often left untreated, the symptoms of Lyme Disease often mimic other common illnesses, like the flu. Early symptoms can range from body aches, fever/chills, and swollen lymph nodes. The classic “bullseye” rash is not even present in over 20% of Lyme cases. Chronic Lyme Disease does not easily respond to antibiotics and its symptoms are much more debilitating: severe headaches, memory loss, facial paralysis, and swollen enlarged joints such as the knees.
While Lyme Disease is certainly dangerous, we have every right and plan to enjoy our yards and the great outdoors this season. As we prepare for a continued increase in deer ticks, here are some useful tips in keeping those tiny predators away.
Mosquito Squad 6 C’s of successful tick control
1. Clear.
Ticks thrive in moist, damp spaces. Keep play equipment and dining areas well away from compost piles or treed areas, where ticks thrive.
2. Clean.
Leaf litter, brush and tall grass are perfect tick hangouts. Ticks love to “quest”, or grab on to their hosts off of tall grass and branches, so keeping things trim and tidy will help keep the deer ticks away.
3. Choose.
Certain plants are extra attractive to deer. The only ticks which carry Lyme Disease are deer ticks (Ixodes scapularis) , so choosing deer deterring plants is a helpful way to keep the deer out of your yard.
4. Check.
Ticks are known to hide out in and around fences and walls, including retaining walls. Check these areas often.
5. Care.
You cannot get Lyme Disease from your family pet, however your beloved fur-baby can contract Lyme Disease from infected ticks and also bring those harmful creatures into your home.
6. Call.
For the best protection, call in the pros to treat your yard with a seasonal barrier treatment to eliminate up to 90% of the ticks on your property.
Mosquito Squad of Fall River and Mosquito Squad of South Shore MA tick control offers the most effective barrier treatment in the South Shore Mass area. Our highly trained professional applicators treat your entire property, not merely in the perimeter of your house. We also offer advanced and specialized tick tube placements. These work to eliminate both larval and nymph ticks when they are living with their rodent hosts. Did you know that a single, female tick lays several thousand eggs at one time and lives, on average, for two years? With Lyme Disease is at epidemic proportions in our area eliminating dangerous ticks from your property will benefit the community as a whole.
We welcome your call!