Combat the Growing Tick Population in Southern New Hampshire

If you haven’t started thinking about tick prevention, now is a great time to do so. New Hampshire station WMUR Channel 9 reported this past week that tick populations may be on the rise. This conclusion is based on information from state entomologists and the CDC. Anytime the tick population increases, there is an increased risk for contractinga tick-borne disease. Such diseases include Lyme disease, babessiosis, and anaplasmosis. To many, an increase in the tick population may seem a little far-fetched since this past winter was so harsh, but it really isn’t.

Ticks are actually quite adept at surviving even brutal winter conditions. They can even remain active throughout winter if the ground is not frozen. Of course, our New Hampshire ground was plenty frozen this past winter, but that doesn’t necessarily kill them. Dr. Thomas Mather from the Department of Plant Sciences and Entomology at the University of Rhode Island illustrated on TickEncounter.org (an education project based at this university) that deer ticks can even survive underneath a blanket of snow. Typically, in very frigid conditions, ticks hibernate like bears. They may take shelter in rotten logs or underneath fallen trees to help them survive until spring.

With an even greater tick population in the forecast this season, it is time to start taking precautions to protect yourself, your family, and your pets from tick bites and the diseases they carry. Vigilance is always the best defense against ticks. Be sure that you check yourself, your kids, and your pets regularly, especially after time spent in wooded or grassy areas. Remove any attached ticks promptly because the longer a tick is attached the more likely it is to transmit a disease if it is infected. Use tick repellents during outdoor activity, especially on your shoes. And be sure to treat your yard for ticks. Most of the time you and your family spend outdoor will be in your own yard, so reduce the number of ticks in that environment by calling Mosquito Squad of Southern New Hampshire. Our two-step tick treatment program is extremely effective at eliminating ticks because it targets them two different ways – barrier treatment and tick tubes.

It’s true that winter may not have affected the ticks in your yard, but Mosquito Squad of Southern New Hampshire can. So don’t wait. Call us for a free quote today at (603) 538-3125, and do something to reduce your risk of tick exposure.