It’s pretty much a nightmare scenario, ticks infesting your home. You know to be on the lookout for ticks in your yard and outdoors, but what if one hitches a ride inside? Can they create an infestation?
Well the answer depends on the type of tick.
Deer Tick
Deer ticks are miniscule, about the size of a sesame seed. As adults, they are active from October to May, as long as the weather is above freezing. Deer tick nymphs are active May through August and are smaller than adults. This means deer ticks are active most of the year, very hard to spot, and could easily find their way inside your home without notice.
Roughly 1 in 4 deer ticks can harbor illness and disease like, Lyme disease, Babesiosis, and Anaplasmosis. They can be dangerous if encountered.
However, they are susceptible to drying out. They can only survive short periods in dry places with controlled humidity. In a typical house a deer tick will not survive 24 hours. If they find themselves in a damp hamper, they could make it up to 3 days. The good news is, they need quite a bit longer to lay eggs. Deer ticks are not likely to infest your home, but they certainly should not be ignored. If you find a deer tick inside, carefully dispose of it immediately.
Dog Tick
Dog ticks are much larger and easier to spot than deer ticks. Dog ticks are found in areas with little tree cover. They like to hang on blades of grass and wait for a host to brush by. They are typically found in fields, hiking trails and yards. So, it’s easy to get one on your clothes or find one attached to your pets.
Dog tick nymphs and adults can transmit diseases such as Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and Tularemia, BUT these ticks are much less likely to cause harm to humans. In fact, only 1 in about 200 are likely to carry harmful germs and bacteria.
However, if the dog tick makes it inside undetected, it could infest your home. Dog ticks brought into the house on pets or clothing will likely drop off and search for a suitable place to lay eggs or find a new host. The brown dog tick is known to lay eggs indoors.
Prevention
The best way to stop an indoor infestation starts with outdoor prevention. It’s smart to have your yard treated with people and pet safe methods. Also, keep your yard trimmed and maintained. Don’t forget about daily tick checks on you and your pets, the sooner you find the unwanted houseguest, the sooner you can get rid of it.
Interested in taking advantage of a tick treatment program? Contact Backyard Defenders today, or fill out the contact form below!