Ticks might be some of the scariest pests out there. This is because of the diseases they carry, which are harmful to humans and animals alike. You may not even feel a tick bite at first, but the effects can last for years. South Carolina has the perfect climate for ticks to survive, so it’s well worth looking into how to protect yourself and your family from ticks and the diseases they carry.
There are several kinds of ticks in Aiken. As mentioned, South Carolina’s climate makes it easy for ticks to survive. The combination of warm weather and high humidity can make these pests prominent and active all year. Some of the most common ticks you might run into in Aiken are deer ticks, lone star ticks, American dog ticks, and brown dog ticks. Some of them are more common outdoors, but any of them can get inside a home or hide out in yards.
Tick Dangers
You may know some of the diseases associated with ticks. Lyme disease is a common tick-borne disease that can cause long-lasting symptoms. Other tick-borne diseases include Rocky Mountain spotted fever, relapsing fever, spotted fever, ehrlichiosis, and many more. These diseases can affect humans of all ages. They can also affect animals, so if you have pets, they also need to be protected from ticks.
Tick Bites
It is important to know what to do if you’re bitten by a tick. Never just pull a tick off your body. This can cause problems as you may not get all of the tick off. It may break, leaving part of its body under your skin. Pull ticks off with tweezers, keeping the tips of the tweezers as close to your skin as possible. Clean the area before removing, then gently and slowly pull straight out. Once you’ve removed the tick, clean the area again with rubbing alcohol. Watch the area closely over the next few days. If you begin to have symptoms such as fever, pain, or fatigue, seek medical attention to check for any of the tick-borne diseases.
Preventing Tick Bites
Ticks like to hang out in moist, shaded areas while they wait for a mammal to come along. They may travel on rodents, wild animals, your pets, or you. When you spend time outdoors in areas with heavy foliage, cover as much skin as you can and keep an eye out for ticks. Tucking your pants into your socks and wearing insect repellent on your feet and legs can help.
The best way to prevent ticks is to limit the amount of time you spend in potentially tick-infested areas. This means making sure that your yard is not a tick-infested area! Ticks can hide out in any yard, especially if you have tall grass, heavy foliage, or areas with a lot of plants. You can try trimming back greenery in your yard, but this doesn’t always work. An effective way to keep ticks out of a yard is to invest in year-round tick control.
Year-round tick control means that Aiken Pest Control completes routine treatments so that ticks can never get a foothold in your yard. This allows you to enjoy nature in your yard without having to worry about ticks. Plus, Aiken Pest’s tick treatments will keep the mosquito population down around your home, so you have even more reason to go outside! Ticks are scary and may seem inevitable, but if you follow these tips, you can minimize your exposure and lower your chances of ever experiencing a tick bite. Reach out to the friendly professionals at Aiken today to learn more about ticks and what can be done to minimize the threat they pose.