Ticks

Ticks are an unpleasant feature of our natural environment, and they are likely present and active in the leaf litter and vegetation of an ecological landscape. Since pesticide use is not compatible with a pollinator and bird friendly habitat, we must adopt other strategies to protect ourselves from the numerous tick-borne diseases out there. Become informed about basic tick biology and follow guidance from reliable sources like the CDC, American Academy of Pediatrics, and universities. The best practice is to treat clothing with 0.5% Permethrin following label directions (good for 6 washings or 6 weeks, whichever comes first) and exposed skin with 20% Picaridin or 25% DEET (both considered safe and effective for children above 2 months of age). Make it a habit to do a thorough tick check when coming in from the outdoors.