What You Need To Know About Tick Control In Nashville
Whether you’re spotting them on yourself or your pets, ticks are never a welcome sight – but they’re a common one for the residents of Nashville. Our southern state is known for three main types of ticks: the American dog tick, the lone star tick, and the black-legged (deer) tick.
These blood-feeding parasites like to hide out in tall, grassy areas and wait for someone to walk by so that they can climb on and latch to a host. Unfortunately, tick bites can spell bad news for anyone – here’s what you need to know about the diseases these pests can spread, how you can deter high tick populations around your property, and what to do if you’ve got a tick problem on your hands.
What Diseases Do Ticks Spread In Nashville?
Unfortunately, tick bites and other bug bites can look and feel similar, but it’s important to be able to tell the difference between the two. Keep in mind that some people may have stronger reactions to tick bites than others, but most of the time, tick bites are small, red, and itchy bumps that appear after the tick detaches.
However, many people discover tick bites while the tick is still attached. A tick’s mouth contains backward-pointing barbs, which help keep them latched to your skin even when you scratch at the bite. The longer the tick stays embedded in your skin, the bigger the risk is that they’ll spread disease.
While nobody wants a blood-feeding parasite stuck to their skin, tick bites are more than just a hassle – they have the potential to spread diseases, such as Lyme disease, tularemia, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and STARI.
Not all ticks carry disease, but it is a risk, and certain symptoms can suggest you’ve got a tick-borne illness, such as:
- A rash that spreads
- Headaches
- Nausea
- Joint pain and muscle weakness
- Neck stiffness
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Chills
- Fever
If you begin to experience one or more of these symptoms after a tick bite, you should seek medical attention as soon as possible.
How To Get Rid Of Ticks Around Your Nashville Property
While ticks may be inevitable for Nashville residents, that doesn’t mean you need to put up with an infestation on your property. Here are some tips for lowering the tick population where you live:
- Keep your lawn mowed regularly and rake leaves to prevent leaf piles
- Clear tall grass and brush around the edges of your property
- Keep woodpiles stacked neatly and in a dry area to prevent luring wildlife hosts that ticks may attach to
- Get rid of yard debris and keep playground equipment in dry, sunny areas
- Place a three-foot barrier of gravel or wood chips between your lawn, wooded areas, playground equipment, and patios
- Keep trash cans and compost bins tightly sealed to deter wildlife hosts
- Given the dangers of tick-borne illness, any and all prevention steps are highly recommended.
The Best Way To Handle A Tick Infestation On Your Nashville Property
While the tips above can help control tick populations, they are not always enough to deter them completely. In that case, it may be time to call on a professional pest control expert, like those of us at Urbanex.
If you’re constantly dealing with tick bites or you suspect that you’ve got a tick infestation on your property, don’t hesitate to contact us at Urbanex today to learn more about our tick control program.
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