PEST CONTROL SPRINGFIELD – TICKS

Now is a good time for pest control Springfield to treat your property for ticks. Spending time outdoors in the Spring and Summer is a favorite pastime of most of us, unfortunately, ticks are there, too, waiting in the grass and on shrubbery, biding their time until we walk by and give them the opportunity to feast on our blood. Gross, right? Not only are they disgusting little insects to have on our skin, more importantly, they are disease-transmitters and that’s why you need to get serious about pest control Springfield for ticks.

 

A female tick only lays eggs one time, but that’s all it takes to cause an infestation, as that one time can result in hundreds, even thousands, of eggs. After hatching ticks lay in wait for a host and they don’t discriminate between humans or animals. Ticks attach to the host, drink blood, then fall off and molt, evolving to its next life cycle as an adult tick. The adult tick climbs to the top of a blade of grass, branch or other foliage, and begins questing – extending its legs, waving them around, looking for a host to latch onto. The tick crawls around looking for just the right spot then bites, puncturing the host’s skin and begins drinking blood. Ticks secrete an anti-coagulant, a cement-like substance, that helps them adhere to the skin.

 

There are a number of ticks that are found in this area of the Midwest, most commonly the Deer tick, Ixodes scapularis, also referred to as the black-legged tick; Lyme disease is spread through the bite of the deer tick. The transmission of Lyme disease is the biggest reason why pest control Springfield is a necessity for homeowners. Other disease-spreading ticks most common to this area are the American dog tick, which prefers attaching to animals; the Rocky Mountain Wood Tick (carriers of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever) and the brown dog tick. These ticks can spend their entire life cycle indoors. They are all known to carry some kind of disease, many of which can be debilitating or fatal. Lyme disease can cause lifelong problems; Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever is a serious bacterial infection that can be fatal; Tick paralysis can cause breathing problems; Typhus is another potentially fatal illness, and Colorado Tick Fever, a viral infection.

 

Don’t let ticks disrupt your plans to spend time outdoors with your family. Things you can do for pest control Springfield is to prevent ticks from attaching themselves to you or your pets in the first place. A few things you can do is to avoid walking in areas of long grass and heavy brush and vegetation. Remove weeds and brush from around your property to prevent infestations. There are many smaller animals like squirrels, mice, rats and other rodents that can act as hosts for ticks, so keeping them away and getting rid of possible nesting sites for them is important for pest control Springfield. Deer live in the woods and carry the ticks that cause Lyme Disease, so either keep the deer away or stay out of the woods. You can also help to prevent ticks attaching to your or your pets by spraying your clothes and skin with a product that contains DEET as a repellant. Keep pant legs tucked into boots, and wear lighter colored clothing as ticks are easier to see and you can remove them before they attach to your skin.

 

For the best pest control Springfield you should call in professional exterminators. As ticks are potentially dangerous for one’s health, it should be taken seriously and dealt with in the most effective and safe way possible. Call Expert Pest Solutions at (417) 413-4776 or visit us online.