Lucy Barnes
Anything you can do to make your property less hospitable to deer, mice and birds will have a impact on the tick population. If you have a large yard, wooded area or high-use area, consider creating a “safe zone” to help reduce your exposure to ticks. You cannot keep all ticks out of the “safe zone”, but you can reduce the number of ticks and chance of exposure substantially by creating a "safe zone".
To create a "safe zone" Place a layer of wood chips at least 3 feet wide and 1-3 feet deep between your yard and the woods edge. Ticks are attracted to the wood chips because of the shade and moisture provided. Treat the chips regularly (several times a year) with Sevin or Permanone to kill any ticks living in, around or that maybe trying to cross the “safe zone” barrier. Keep children and pets out of the treated wood chips.
Keep all grass in your “safe zone” cut SHORT to discourage ticks from taking up residence there. Ticks do not like hot dry areas. Be sure not to provide an inviting habitat for ticks by using wood chips under picnic tables or playground equipment where people often gather.
To discourage deer and other wildlife from living in or wandering through your “safe zone” spray their favorite 'edibles' with a garlic, soap or hot pepper spray. Acorns and berries attract mice and other wildlife. Removing wildlife food sources may indirectly help reduce the number of ticks.
Consider keeping bird feeders away from the house and your “safe zone” to discourage mice (a favorite host of ticks) from gathering or nesting in or near your home. Set traps to remove mice from inside your house and empty the traps promptly.
To reduce ticks, you can purchase a garden product called Sevin (sold as a concentrated liquid or dust) and apply it to and around your high use areas. Sevin, sold as a garden product for use on fruits and vegetables, has one of the least offensive chemical odors, is fairly inexpensive considering the coverage and is effective for killing ticks. It can also be applied to your pets outdoor bedding areas to kill ticks and fleas. Carefully read and follow all directions on the label.
Save the cardboard inserts from toilet paper and paper towels or cut several short pieces of PVC pipe. Treat a handful of cotton balls with Permanone/Permethrin (spray them outside on newspaper or on a protective covering), allow to dry and place the cotton balls loosely inside the tubes. Place the tubes along the border of your property. Hopefully, mice will carry the cotton balls to their nest, exposing ticks to the treatment.
Inside Home- Ticks can live for over six months without a blood meal. An adult female can produce 2,000–5,000 off-spring. Homes may have to be treated for tick infestation if a female tick deposits her eggs indoors and they hatch. You should also be sure to check for ticks before getting into your vehicle in order to prevent potential problems.
Lucy Barnes