Tick Talk: Effective Tick Prevention and Control for Your New Jersey Property

Ticks are small, blood-feeding arachnids that pose a significant risk to both people and pets. These wingless pests have oval-shaped bodies, eight legs, and typically range from 1/16 to 1/4 inch long. After feeding, their bodies expand considerably. In New Jersey, the most common tick species include the blacklegged tick (also known as the deer tick), the lone star tick, and the American dog tick.

Concerned about ticks in your yard? Your best move is to call in a local expert. Viking Pest Control offers professional tick inspections and customized treatment plans to help eliminate existing tick populations and prevent them from coming back.

The Life Cycle of Ticks in New Jersey

Ticks in New Jersey typically lay eggs during the spring. After hatching, they progress through larval and nymph stages before reaching adulthood. This development process often takes two to three years, and ticks require a host at each stage to survive and mature.

While many ticks die off in freezing weather, others survive the winter by burrowing into leaf litter, hiding in thick brush, or latching onto a warm-blooded host.

Tick-Borne Diseases: A Growing Concern

Ticks are most active during the warmer months—spring, summer, and early fall. They wait in tall grass, overgrown vegetation, or wooded areas for a potential host to pass by. Tick bites are often painless, but the diseases they carry can be serious. Some of the tick-borne illnesses found in New Jersey include:

• Lyme disease
• Anaplasmosis
• Rocky Mountain spotted fever
• Tularemia

If you find a tick on your skin, use fine-tipped tweezers to grasp it as close to the skin as possible and pull upward firmly. Dispose of the tick by flushing it down the toilet or placing it in alcohol before discarding. Clean the bite area thoroughly with soap and water or rubbing alcohol.

When should you worry about a tick bite?
Watch for signs such as fever, chills, fatigue, headache, muscle aches, or a rash. If you experience any symptoms, especially after a recent tick bite, consult a healthcare professional right away.

How to Make Your Yard Less Attractive to Ticks

New Jersey homeowners can take a few proactive steps to reduce tick activity around their property:

• Keep lawns trimmed and eliminate overgrown brush or tall weeds.
• Create a barrier between wooded areas and your lawn using gravel, stone, or mulch.
• Make sure pets are on a veterinarian-recommended flea and tick prevention plan.

While DIY tick sprays and yard treatments are widely available, they often fall short. Professional intervention is usually the most effective route.

Why Choose Viking Pest Control for Tick Prevention

Looking for the best way to get rid of ticks in your New Jersey home or yard? Once they find their way inside, ticks can be extremely difficult to eliminate. Viking Pest Control's Last Bite Mosquito & Tick service offers expert tick control solutions tailored to your property. Last Bite Green is also available for those looking for a more eco-friendly solution.

Our tick treatments include the use of a backpack misting system that targets tick hotspots in lawn, garden, and wooded areas with a powerful yet family- and pet-safe formula.

Don't let ticks take over your yard—contact Viking Pest Control today for professional tick control services in New Jersey.