Let’s talk about Deer Tick Control. We are On Target Tick Control, the leading tick exterminator serving Tolland County CT. In eastern Connecticut we have an abundance of black-legged deer ticks. Late fall is peak season for the adult deer tick population. Tick infestations in southern New England have become increasingly more prevalent in the recent years. Changes in land use, increased local deer population, an abundant rodent population, and some ecological factors have contributed to a surge in the number of deer ticks lurking in our eastern Connecticut woods.
We are all aware of Lyme Disease, but ticks in Connecticut have been found to carry the Powassan virus. The virus is very rare, although cases are on the rise. Lyme is a bacterial illness, but Powassan is a flavivirus, a genus of virus that also causes West Nile virus and Dengue fever. The worst news is that there is currently no cure for Powassan. Because Powassan is rare, the symptoms may be hard to identify this disease.
To quote Jorge Parada, MD, medical advisor for the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) from Loyola University, “To prevent contracting Powassan, make sure to be on your guard against ticks.” Parada advises: “What’s better than a cure is don’t catch it. So even when the weather’s good and you want to go out and hike in shorts, the truth is, long pants and tucking your pants into your socks will protect you from tick bites.”
Did you know that seventy percent of ticks can be found nine feet from where the woods meet your yard? Ticks prefer to lie in shady areas of the lawn because they dry up in the sun. Ticks thrive in a humid environment, and live at the edges of woods, in the leaf litter around your yard, around stone walls, in lawns and gardens, and in brushy areas preferred by their hosts. If you interrupt their route into your back yard, you may lessen their numbers. As a Tick Control company, our mission is protecting family and pets from ticks and tick-borne illnesses. When you are concerned about ticks and the diseases they may carry, call On Target Tick Control. 203-746-6638.
