If you find tick eggs in your backyard, you should be very worried. Ticks are known to spread diseases, and their eggs can be the start of a problem infestation. You can find them in sheltered outdoor places. The goal of this complete guide is to give you the information and steps you need to find, handle, and avoid tick eggs.
How to Identify a Tick Egg
Tick eggs are very small. They are about 0.5 mm across, which is about the size of a poppy seed. They usually look like ovals or pear shapes and are clear or slightly whitish, but this can be a little different based on the species of tick. Tick eggs are usually laid in groups and stuck to plants, leaf litter, or other objects close to the ground. They may become more solid and change colour to look more like an adult tick of the same species as they grow up. Most of the time, the eggs are smooth and shiny, and their colour can be anywhere from pale yellow to light brown.
What Tick Eggs Can Do to You
The main worry about tick eggs is that they might hatch into larvae that can spread diseases like Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and Lyme disease. To stop the spread of these diseases, it’s important to be careful when handling tick eggs.
Getting rid of and removing tick eggs
If you have tick eggs in your garden, you should talk to a professional pest control expert or a veterinarian to make sure you get the right information on how to get rid of and control ticks. To remove a tick that is stuck to your skin, use fine-tipped tweezers to grab it firmly near its head or mouth and pull it away from your skin without jerking or turning it. To get rid of the tick, put it in alcohol, a bag with a tight lid, or flush it down the toilet.
Steps You Can Take to Keep Your Backyard Safe
Take Down Plants That Attract Deer: You can stop deer ticks, which are what spread Lyme disease, by getting rid of plants that attract deer, like tulips, hostas, and azaleas.
Plant Things That Keep Ticks Away: Herbs like mint and rosemary and flowers like chrysanthemums can help keep ticks away.
Regular yard Care: Mow your yard regularly and get rid of any heavy brush and ground cover. This makes it harder for ticks to live.
Ticks lay their eggs in dark, damp places, so get rid of woodpiles and other trash. Wood piles should be kept off the ground and away from the house.
Keep your stonewalls in good shape and stay away from bird feeders that can attract rodents, which are frequent tick hosts.
Use natural ways to keep ticks away. Diatomaceous earth and essential oils like cedarwood, neem, and citronella can work well.
Use Tick Tubes. These tools kill ticks without spraying and keep people from getting sick.
Add Rough Textures: Putting lava rock or pebble mulch in flower beds keeps ticks from living there.
Make Areas Without Lawns: Use hardscaping to cut down on tick populations.
Be careful when using pesticides. If you have to, use synthetic pyrethroids or natural alternatives like cedar oil.
It’s very important to keep an eye out for ticks. You can greatly lower the risk of ticks and the diseases they carry by finding tick eggs and treating them properly, as well as taking steps to keep ticks out of your yard. Always put safety first, and if you need to, talk to a professional about how to deal with tick-related problems.
