Get Ready for This Year’s “Tick Explosion”

Tick Explosion!

Yep… that’s what they’re calling it. After last year’s “Tickapocalypse” we have moved on to a complete tick explosion. According to Fox 25 News and the Milton Patch, Dr. Timothy Mather, the Tick Guy, a professor at the University of Rhode Island, has labeled this year as such. As a TickEncounter Prevention Partner, we are more than confident in the director of the TickEncounter Resource Center’s knowledge of the factors that indicate a terrible tick season approaching.

Dr. Mather explains that after the mild winter we’ve had here in Massachusetts the ticks are ready to come out in full force. The animals stayed active longer with fewer freezes and now those ticks will be looking for their next blood meal.

You’ll find them hiding in tall grass and in the brush reaching out as you walk by, so when hiking and taking the trails through the woods it’s important to prepare. Insect repellent mist with Deet, long pants tucked tightly in your socks, and long sleeves are all good ways to begin to protect yourself. Tick checks when you come indoors are incredibly important too. If you do bring a tick home you will want to get it off before it has time to transmit disease, which usually takes about 24 hours. As the name suggests Southeastern Massachusetts is bursting with tick activity and is one of the worst for Lyme disease.

Follow our tick safety guide for a full rundown of how you can protect yourself.

We agree with Dr. Mather at Mosquito Squad of Fall River and the South Shore, it’s time to start preparing and protecting. The 6Cs of tick proofing your yard is a great start. As you begin spring cleaning, keep the presence of ticks in mind. In fact, you might want to consider having your yard professionally treated first. As Dr. Mather said it was a mild winter and there could be ticks hidden in the leftover storm debris settled in your yard.

Our barrier treatment will eliminate 90% of adult ticks on contact so you can focus on making your spring yard project possible with fewer worries about ticks and Lyme disease. While you are planning your treatment you should also consider our tick tube system. This system works to eliminate ticks at the nymph stage before they ever really make it out into your yard. Now not only are you fighting today’s tick explosion but you are helping prevent next year’s Tickmageddon!