As temperatures rise and climate patterns shift, the tick season starts earlier, lasts longer, and reaches places it hasn’t before, including right in your backyard.
But the good news is that you can take simple steps to protect yourself.
Consumer Reports has expert advice to help you and your pets stay safe.
Consumer Reports’ Paul Hope says a few simple steps can help keep your yard tick-free. It starts with the grass.
Ticks love tall grass and dark shaded areas, so CR recommends cutting your grass to about three inches.
CR generally recommends mulching your grass clippings, but if you live in an area with a lot of ticks, it might be a good idea to bag them instead.
Blow away or remove leaves, leaf piles, and other debris that could be used as shade for ticks in your grass.
If your property is surrounded by a large, wooded area, putting up a fence can help keep out deer, which transmit ticks.
If installing a fence isn’t an option, CR says you can create an obstacle for the ticks. Use dry wood chips or gravel to make a three-foot barrier between your lawn and any woody areas—it adds a dry, hot perimeter that ticks don’t like.
Pro-tip: Don’t use shredded mulch because that can get damp, which is what ticks like.
Next, trim tall grasses, weeds, and low-hanging branches around your property.
Start your morning with our daily forecast, trending news and stories curated by The Morning Show team.
You may be tempted to spray your whole yard with pesticides, but CR says don’t. A better and more targeted approach is to use tick tubes.
These tubes contain a small amount of poison that coats the skin of mice, can kill ticks, and reduce the population after several years of use.
Whatever prevention steps you take, one rule always applies: after spending time outdoors, check yourself and your pets for ticks. It’s a simple habit that can make a big difference.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends showering and checking your body within a few hours of being in tick-prone areas. This can help wash away any ticks that have not yet attached.
Some ticks are no bigger than a poppy seed, so pay close attention when checking.