Tick or Treat: Fall Tick Activity Brings Little Reprieve
A Blacklegged “deer” tick (Ixodes scapularis)
As New Hampshire’s fall season is by now well underway, the season also brings added run-ins with those pesky parasites - ticks!
Fall season is when these blood feeders, most notably Blacklegged ticks, a species which carries Lyme disease and other tick-borne infections, are the most active.
I’m often asked by my clients why I offer (and emphasize) a fall tick control treatment as part of my seasonal services. Leaves are turning, frost is encroaching, and its not outside the realm for October/November snow to blanket the region. The mindset on the part of the consumer often immediately jumps to last-minute revenue generation - but this thought process couldn’t be further from the truth.
The reality is that my tick control services are designed to address tick activity on a given property to the fullest capacity possible; and a fall treatment can give customers a “leg up” (or eight - pun!) on the following spring when ticks gear up to re-emerge from their leafy winter hiatus.
Many customers are surprised to learn how active ticks really are in the fall. Most notably adult ticks, as those immature ticks from mid-summer have now turned into adults and are seeking their third and final host.
If successful, these adult ticks will be rewarded with their final blood meal - which will allow them to lay eggs and reproduce.
The state’s most common tick species, American Dog ticks and Blacklegged “deer” ticks, are found in areas of our yards that harbor tall grass, shrubbery, and leaf duff. Of course, these ticks are also abundantly found consistently in wooded/forested areas - prime habitat for wild and human hosts alike.
Hikers, hunters, and dog-walkers are particularly susceptible, as we all try to pack every last bit of outdoor recreation in before winter’s full icy grip.
The Blacklegged Tick, also known as the “deer tick” (Ixodes scapularis), in particular is known for its disease transmission potential; with Lyme disease and anaplasmosis being the most common.
The CDC recommends wearing repellent as well as light colored clothing that covers arms with pants tucked into socks. Tick checks of the body should be performed after any outdoor activity.
With New Hampshire’s unseasonably warm November kick-off (75 degrees this year), ticks are expected to increase throughout the month. Despite snowy conditions as the month progressed, tick presence is expected to continue until temperatures drop below freezing consistently - which traditionally has been mid-to-late December.
Interested in learning more about Monadnock Pest & Wildlife’s tick control services? Check out our tick control page or feel free to contact us!
