Protection from Ticks in Oakland County

Encounters with ticks have risen steadily over the past several years. Various animals, both wild and domestic, can bring ticks into your yard.

 Residents of Oakland County can protect themselves from deer ticks by following these key strategies:

1. Use EPA-registered insect repellents containing DEET, picaridin, IR3535, Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus (OLE), para-menthane-diol (PMD), or 2-undecanone on exposed skin.
2. Treat clothing, especially pants, socks, and shoes, with permethrin, which kills ticks on contact. Alternatively, purchase pre-treated clothing. The coating will remain effective through multiple washings, but will eventually wear off.
3. Wear protective clothing such as long-sleeved shirts, long pants tucked into socks, and light-colored clothing to make tick spotting easier.
4. Avoid tick-infested areas by staying on the center of trails and away from tall grass, brush, and leaf litter.
5. Perform daily tick checks on yourself, family members, and pets after being outdoors, even in your own yard.
6. Shower within two hours of coming indoors to wash off and/or find any crawling ticks.
7. Wash and dry clothing on high heat to kill any ticks that may be present.
8. Protect pets by consulting with a veterinarian about the best tick prevention products.
9. Maintain your yard by mowing the lawn regularly, removing leaf litter, keeping plants trimmed, and securing outdoor trash cans to discourage rodents that carry ticks.
10. Call Owen Tree Service to perform periodic tick sprays to help control ticks in your landscape and yard.

By implementing these preventive measures Oakland County residents can significantly reduce their risk of tick bites and potential exposure to tick-borne diseases such as Lyme disease.

Engorged tick walking on a hand. Image by Catkin from Pixabay