Like many other parasitic pests, ticks feed off of the blood of their hosts. However, while other blood-sucking pests will jump or fly to get to a suitable warm-blooded host, ticks are incapable of doing so. Instead, they will wait in thick vegetation, high grasses, and along wooded paths for a potential blood meal to walk by—in which case the tick will crawl onto them.
 
Often, other pest animals such as mice, rats, and raccoons will bring ticks into our lawns from wooded areas. Once ticks have spread to our lawns, it is very easy for both pets and humans to come into contact with them and bring them inside. However, homeowners without pets can also have ticks brought into their home if another pest problem is present. Squirrels, rats, mice, and raccoons are all wildlife creatures that commonly invade homes—often bring ticks with them.
 
In other parts of America, ticks will die off as soon as the cold weather hits. Contrarily, in southwest parts of America, it takes quite a bit longer for the climate to reach unlivable temperatures for insect pests. This means ticks will continue to hitch rides into our homes for several weeks longer than they would in areas of the northern United States.
 
Wearing long-sleeved clothing is a good idea when going into areas that contain thick foliage. Checking your clothing, shoes, and skin for ticks is important before heading indoors. When you are walking in a wooded area, stick to the center of the path to avoid coming into contact with bushes and branches where ticks may be hiding. If you have pets, always inspect them for ticks before bringing them back indoors. Getting flea and tick collars is also a great preventative measure for keeping your pets tick free. Ticks prefer long grass and brush for hiding places, so keeping your lawn trimmed, cutting back wooded areas from your home, and getting rid of leaf piles will reduce the number of places for ticks to hide.
 
When it comes to eliminating ticks from your property, pest control professionals from Schendel Pest Services can help. With our use of natural products, baits, and mechanical means of pest treatment, you can be sure that our services will cause no harm to people, plants, or pets. Our tick treatments are safe and effective, without causing harm to the environment. For a free quote, contact Schendel Pest Services today!