Paramount Tick Management
There are three species of ticks most commonly found on Long Island: American Dog ticks, Deer or Blacklegged ticks, and Lone Star ticks. All three species can transmit disease, including Lyme disease, ehrlichiosis, babesiosis, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and Powassan virus.
Young ticks typically carry lower levels of disease than larger adult ticks. However, tiny young ticks are responsible for spreading more disease because they are harder to find during tick checks than larger adults.
There are three species of ticks most commonly found on Long Island: AmericanTicks can be active year-round, even during winter, whenever temperatures are above 40° F. Therefore, precautions should be taken against tick bites throughout the year.
Effective tick management involves very comprehensive treatment strategies, including those established by public health authorities and tick abatement agencies.
If you see ticks on your property or your pets, contact us today for an effective treatment plan!
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Tick Behaviors and Tendencies
Signs of Tick Infestation
Presence of Ticks: Ticks may be found on pets, clothing, or directly on the skin after walking through tick-infested areas.
Tick Bites: Red, swollen bites may indicate tick activity. Infected bites can lead to symptoms such as rashes or fever.
Hotspots: Wood piles, stone walls, leaf litter, tall grasses, and yard edges near wooded areas.
Tick Feeding Behavior
Blood Feeding: Ticks are blood feeders and require a blood meal at each stage of development (larva, nymph, adult). They use specialized mouthparts called chelicerae to pierce the host’s skin and feed for several days.
Host-Seeking Behavior: Ticks use a behavior called “questing” to find a host. They climb onto vegetation and extend their front legs, waiting to latch onto a passing host.
Detection of Hosts: Ticks can detect body heat, carbon dioxide, and other chemicals emitted by potential hosts.
Feeding Duration: Feeding can take anywhere from a few days to over a week, depending on the tick species and life stage.
Tick Disease Transmission and Vector Role
Contracting Disease: Ticks contract pathogens from feeding on infected hosts. When a tick feeds on a host carrying a pathogen, such as the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi (which causes Lyme disease), the pathogen is ingested and retained by the tick, allowing it to spread to future hosts.
Vectors between Animals and Humans: Ticks are vectors of several diseases, transmitting pathogens between animals and humans. For instance, blacklegged ticks transmit Lyme disease, babesiosis, and anaplasmosis. Lone star ticks are known to spread ehrlichiosis and can cause alpha-gal allergy, while American dog ticks are vectors for Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Ticks transmit these diseases when they bite a host and regurgitate the pathogen-containing saliva into the host’s bloodstream.
Mating and Overwintering Habits
Mating: Tick mating often occurs on the host. Male ticks attach to the host and find females feeding on the same host. After mating, female ticks detach and drop to the ground to lay their eggs in secluded areas such as leaf litter or soil.
Overwintering: Ticks are capable of overwintering in various life stages. Blacklegged ticks, for example, can overwinter as adults in leaf litter or other protected areas, emerging to seek hosts when temperatures rise above freezing. Ticks are well-adapted to surviving cold temperatures by seeking sheltered, insulated environments.
Special Considerations for Long Island
Lyme Disease Risk: Long Island is a high-risk area for Lyme disease, which is transmitted primarily by the Blacklegged tick. Homeowners should be vigilant about tick control to reduce the risk of tick-borne illnesses.
Seasonal Awareness: Peak tick activity on Long Island occurs in the spring and summer. Implement preventative measures before the start of tick season to minimize infestations.
Tick-Host Interactions: Deer are a major host for adult Blacklegged ticks on Long Island. Reducing deer populations and deterring deer from residential areas can help lower tick numbers.
Tick Prevention & Protection
Visual Inspection: Regularly inspect pets, clothing, and exposed skin after spending time outdoors, especially in wooded or grassy areas.
Tick Dragging: Use a white cloth to drag through grassy or wooded areas to collect and monitor tick populations. This can help identify high-risk areas that need treatment.
Clothing: Wear long sleeves, long pants, and tuck pants into socks when walking through tick-infested areas. Light-colored clothing makes ticks easier to spot.
Pet Protection: Treat pets with veterinarian-recommended tick control products, such as spot-on treatments, collars, or oral medications, to prevent ticks from attaching.
Insect Repellent: Use EPA-approved insect repellents containing DEET, picaridin, or permethrin on clothing and exposed skin to repel ticks.
Yard Maintenance: Clear away thick brush, leaf litter, and tall grass near frequently used areas of the yard. Establish tick-safe zones by using wood chips or gravel to separate play areas, patios, and gardens from wooded or grassy areas.
Blacklegged or Deer Tick (Ixodes scapularis)
Small, reddish-brown; Adult females have a distinct reddish-orange body, while males are darker and smaller.
Blacklegged/Deer Tick Quick Facts
Size: Adults are approximately 1/8 inch in length, nymphs are about the size of a poppy seed, and larvae are even smaller.
Common Disease Vector: Lyme disease, babesiosis, and anaplasmosis.
Habitat: Commonly found in wooded areas, tall grasses, and shrubbery. Prefer areas with high humidity and leaf litter.
Preferred Hosts: Deer (most common), small mammals, birds, and reptiles.
Breeding: Lays eggs in leaf litter, with each female capable of laying up to 3,000 eggs. Eggs hatch into larvae, which develop into nymphs, and finally into adults.
Seasonal Activity: Year-round, with peak activity in spring and fall. Nymphs are most active in late spring and early summer, while adults are more active in the cooler months.
American Dog Tick(Dermacentor variabilis)
The odorous house ant is native to most of the United States and ranges from Canada through Mexico. The odorous house ant gets its name from the strong, rotten coconut-like smell it gives off when crushed.
Brown tick with mottled white or gray markings on its back. Larger than the blacklegged tick.
American Dog Tick Quick Facts
Size: Adults are about 3/16 inch in length.
Common Disease Vector: Rocky Mountain spotted fever.
Habitat: Prefer grassy fields, roadsides, and trails, particularly areas with little tree cover.
Preferred Hosts: Larger mammals, including dogs and humans.
Breeding: Females lay up to 6,500 eggs on the ground. After hatching, larvae, nymphs, and adults all require a blood meal to advance to the next stage.
Seasonal Activity: Most active from late spring to mid-summer, especially in open areas with tall grass.
Lone Star Tick(Amblyomma americanum)
Reddish-brown tick with a single white dot on the back of adult females. Males have faint white streaks or spots.
Lone Star Tick Quick Facts
Size: Adults are approximately 1/4 inch in length.
Common Disease Vector: Ehrlichiosis and can cause alpha-gal allergy.
Habitat: Found in woodlands with thick underbrush, often in areas inhabited by deer.
Preferred Hosts: Aggressive feeders that target a variety of hosts, including humans, pets, and wildlife.
Breeding: Females lay several thousand eggs on the ground, which hatch into larvae. Much like other tick species, Lone star ticks have a three-stage lifecycle, and each stage requires a blood meal to advance to the next stage.
Seasonal Activity: Early spring through late summer, with peak activity in mid-summer.
You Deserve a Tick-Free Yard
The experts at Paramount Pest Management provide tick population control around properties across Nassau and western Suffolk Counties, New York City, and Queens as part of an overall perimeter tick management program. We have dedicated a significant amount time and resources to learning how to control ticks and our overall Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategy of inspection, assessment, and treatment will allow you to enjoy your backyard again.