In the Fall, Ticks Still Crawl

East End Tick & Mosquito Control wants east enders to know that the arrival of fall does not mark the end of tick season. In fact, fall is adult tick season. According to the Tick Encounter Resource Center (tickencounter.org), the adult stage deer tick actually begins its feeding activity about the time of the first frost (early October) and it will latch onto any larger host on days that the temperature is near or above freezing. It’s crucial to continue taking preventative measures and checking for ticks because they are still active and in search of a blood meal into mid-November.

A new announcement from the Center for Disease Control revealed that 182 counties are now reporting high rates of Lyme Disease–up more than 320%. Despite the cooler weather, adult ticks are able to detect the carbon dioxide being released from warm-blooded animals and humans. After feeding on a host, female adults lay their eggs underneath leaf litter and in the spring and summer the eggs hatch starting a new tick population. Proactive, preventative spraying in the fall months will not only kill existing adult ticks, it may limit the new batch of ticks that would hatch at the start of spring 2016.

We always recommend consistent property management to prevent ticks nesting for the fall season including:

* Reduce leaf litter, brush and weeds at the edge of the lawn and around the house.

* Cut grass short and regularly.

* Remove brush and leaves around stonewalls and wood piles.

* Use wood chips to help keep the buffer zone free of plants and restrict tick migration.

* Trim tree branches to let in more sunlight.