Did you know as soon as the temperature rises above 4°C ticks are actively looking for an animal or human to feed on!
The blood sucking pests transmit Lyme Disease and many other very serious and deadly illnesses. They typically live in wooded areas, areas of tall grass and surrounding bushes and leaves. Ticks can be tiny (some are too small to see!) and can look like a skin lump on your pets body.
But fear not there are plenty of ways to try and prevent them. The best time to start your home’s flea treatment is in the late spring, right before an infestation.
For us humans walking dogs or working on a farm, the only way to really repel ticks is by wearing long sleeved tops and long trousers, another idea could be trying some sort of mosquito repellent containing DEET.
For dogs and cats you can try some form of flea/tick drops which go on the back of neck, also grooming them regularly will help to remove any that may not have latched on yet. Another option is a flea/tick collar.
For your land, try keeping grass as low as possible and where possible try keeping chickens or Guinea fowl as they are two of the tick’s natural predators.
Try building nesting boxes and raptor perching poles for hawks and owls. These birds will form a natural balance to the number of small rodents and mammals in and around your farm. Therefore, the number of hosts for ticks will be reduced.
And finally, one of the biggest carriers of ticks.. Deer! Try to deter them from your property where possible, although that’s easier said then done!
