Tick Identification & Prevention

What are ticks?

Ticks are generally outdoor pests and are often associated with wooded areas. However, ticks don’t just live in wooded or other rural areas; they regularly find their way into our suburban or urban yards and outdoor spaces on the backs of rodents, wild animals, and stray pets.

Ticks are arachnids, and blood is their sole source of food. At each new life stage, they require a blood meal from a new host. Under the right conditions, ticks will complete their life cycle over two to three years.

Adult ticks have eight legs and are wingless; their main mode of transportation is hitchhiking on the backs of their animal hosts.

Are ticks dangerous?

Ticks are a problem in our yards because animals frequently visit. The more contact you have with ticks, the more likely they will bite you or your pets and feed on your blood. Ticks are problematic because they feed over a period of days which allows them to very efficiently transmit the diseases they are carrying to their host. Illnesses that ticks spread to people include:

• Lyme disease
• Rocky Mountain spotted fever
• Anaplasmosis.
• Ehrlichiosis.
• Tularemia.

Why do I have a tick problem?

Ticks move from place to place on the backs of their animal hosts. That means whenever a squirrel, mouse, dog, or cat moves across your lawn; there is the possibility that ticks will be left behind.

Ticks are a concern mainly in our outdoor spaces as most species cannot complete their life cycle indoors. When you find a tick in your home, it is likely because you or a pet came into contact with them outside and brought them inside.

Where will I find ticks?

Ticks, when not feeding on a host, are found in dark, damp areas. In our yards, ticks will gather in tall grass, thick vegetation, and under shrubs and bushes that provide moisture and access to an animal host.

In our yards, areas around bird feeders, gardens, and trash cans attract wild animals and are areas you are likely to come into contact with ticks.

How do I get rid of ticks?

Solve your property’s tick problems the easy way by partnering with us at Gold Star Exterminators. Since 1979 our customers have been trusting us to solve their pest issues. We can help keep your yard free of biting, disease-spreading ticks. Our professionals are committed to our customers and deliver prompt pest control services for your New Braunfels property that are reasonably priced. We have what you need to control tick numbers and prevent them from taking over your property. To learn more about our tick control services for your New Braunfels home, give Gold Star Exterminators a call today!

How can I prevent ticks in the future?

Take advantage of the following tips to help stop ticks from taking over your Texas property.

• Install a fence around your yard and gardens to keep tick-carrying wild animals away.
• Keep tick-covered rodents out of your home by sealing any gaps or holes in its exterior — repair damage to your home’s shingles, siding, and roofline. 
• Keep your grass trimmed short and keep up with other lawn maintenance.
• Remove leaf piles, brush piles, and other debris from your yard. 
• Invest in year-round tick control for your family’s pets.