Recent reports from the University of Florida suggest that the rate of growth for tick-borne diseases in Florida have increase more than 150 percent in the last decade alone, putting the state in the top twenty in the nation for the number of annually reported cases. The last thing you want is to end up on the list of cases, but with the tick problem in Florida reaching great heights in the summer, how can you actually protect yourself from these problem pests? Here are some tips that may help.
- Use a residential lawn care service to keep your property as neat and tidy as possible. Ticks need lots of places to hide, and if your lawn is overgrown or you have yard waste in several locations, ticks will use that during the summer months as a way to reach you. The cleaner and better trimmed your plants and lawn are, the less likely you are to have tick problems.
- Don’t forget to have pets treated at your vet. There are many cases of pets bringing tick problems into the house, but a vet can help your pet get the protection he needs.
- Use insect repellant. If you’re going to be in wooded or bushy areas, be sure you use repellant that contains DEET, at least 20%. You may want to treat your clothes with Permethrin, too.
- Do a tick check! When you return from an outing, make sure you look over your body carefully for any ticks. Remove them safely, and if you have ongoing problems, consult a healthcare professional.
At Slug-A-Bug, we know how dangerous ticks can be. Contact us today to learn more about our tick control programs and to schedule a no obligation pest control evaluation that will help ensure you aren’t encouraging tick problems on your property this summer!