Here is some advice that a friend of mine says will help with that Tick problem, as my Sister was saying they had a problem with them out west. Not sure if this helps but thought I would put it out there. Good thing is that it is help without using all them pesticides that might be worse for you than the ticks themselves.
MANAGEMENT® AND CONTROL OF TICKS
Inspection (Be very thorough.)
Deer ticks are as tiny as a freckle and hard to spot- dog ticks maybe about as large as a match head. Both
like to burrow in along the hairline – so carefully look and feel along the back of your neck, around your ears
and forehead and those of your pets and children, especially in the hair.
Look in rooms where dogs sleep, under the edge of rugs, under furniture, in cracks around baseboards,
window and door frames, in dog boxes.
Ticks prefer still, damp, shady areas, so turn on the lights and dehumidifier and fans.
Habitat Alteration and Control (They prefer shady areas.)
Advise occupants to:
Forget modesty: Thoroughly and carefully inspect pets, children and one another regularly (at least once a
day) for ticks. Try lightly using Safe Solutions Insect Repellent, neem oil, food-grade diatomaceous earth
in your pet’s fur or menthol on their fur as a repellent.
Wash dog bedding frequently with Safe Solutions Pet Wash or their enzyme cleaner with sodium borate.
Keep grass cut short around buildings and paths and vegetation trimmed. Screen and caulk. Keeping
grass cut under 3” in height lowers the humidity at ground level making it difficult for ticks to survive desic-
cation and their predators.
Keep stray dogs and wildlife out of the yard. Fence your yard. Remove all underbrush and shrubs.
As a last resort have a veterinarian treat pets using pesticidal dips, washes or dusts. Do not let small
children play with dogs that have been recently treated. Try bathing pets with Safe Solutions Pet Wash
or their enzyme cleaner with peppermint or even menthol or with food-grade DE first.
Inside:
Caulk/seal all tiny spaces, crack and crevices where ticks hide. Don’t forget to check behind mop boards,
moldings, frames and baseboards, in furniture and carpets and rugs and inside window pulley openings.
Lightly dust with food-grade DE, boric acid, table salt, baking soda, talcum powder, medicated body pow-
der or powdered sulphur or Comet®. Spray Not Nice to Bugs® or diluted enzyme cleaners as needed.
Vacuum daily under the edge of rugs, under furniture, in cracks around baseboards, window and door
frames, in dog boxes. Try spraying and/or cleaning with 1 oz. diluted Safe Solutions, Inc. enzyme cleaners
per 1 qt.water and/or peppermint soaps or menthol soaps and/or 1 tablespoon of borax or salt and 1
tablespoon of 3% hydrogen peroxide (Caution: This mix will cause discoloration of certain fabrics,
paints, colors, etc.) or routinely steam clean the entire area.
Routinely launder your pet’s bedding with diluted Safe Solutions, Inc. enzyme cleaner and borax and groom
your pets. Then lightly dust with Safe Solutions Food-grade DE.
Fogging for ticks with volatile pesticide poisons is useless and dangerous.
Outside:
Keep grass, weeds, shrubs and brush cut short and severely trimmed or cultivated wherever you walk or
play.
Practice proper sanitation. Remove clutter and debris.
Avoid tick infested areas and/or wear appropriate clothing.
Seal all cracks, crevices and other openings into your home or buildings. Remove leaf litter and debris.
Make tick flags, drags and/or traps; keep grass and brush trimmed and routinely sprayed with diluted
enzyme cleaner using a hose-end sprayer, or lightly dusted with powdered lime or medicated body powder
and/or sulphur. Remember, the shaded areas usually produce the most ticks.
Raise and allow Guinea hens roam free for them to search out and destroy ticks.
Read and utilize this Master IPM Planning Manual.
Follow-up – It is important that everyone know that dogs should be protected or inspected daily even after
treatment since eggs can take 30 days to hatch. Take time to assure occupants that brown dog ticks do not normally bite humans and will, therefore, not transmit a disease. The fear of Lyme disease can create
hysteria and a desire for overkill; explain that the brown dog tick does not spread Lyme disease.
Great post as usual!