How to Keep Ticks Out of Your Yard

How to Keep Ticks Out of Your Yard

Keeping ticks out of your yard starts with making the property less favorable for them. Ticks often thrive in tall grass, leaf litter, dense vegetation, shaded landscaping and wooded edges, especially in areas where wildlife and pets regularly travel.

While it may not be possible to prevent every tick from entering your property, regular yard maintenance, wildlife management, pet protection and appropriate outdoor treatment can help reduce tick activity.

Why Do Ticks Come Into Your Yard?

Ticks are commonly transported into residential yards by animal hosts.

These may include:

• Dogs and cats

• Rodents

• Squirrels

• Rabbits

• Raccoons

• Other wildlife

Properties bordering woods, brush or unmanaged vegetation may experience increased tick activity because these areas can provide both suitable habitat and animal hosts.

Keep Your Grass Mowed

Regular mowing is one of the simplest ways to make your yard less favorable for ticks.

Pay particular attention to:

• Yard edges

• Fence lines

• Around trees

• Near shrubs

• Pet activity areas

• Areas bordering woods or brush

Ticks are generally more likely to be associated with protected vegetation and leaf litter than the open center of a sunny, maintained lawn.

Remove Leaf Litter

Fallen leaves can create cool, protected areas that retain moisture.

Regularly remove excessive leaf litter from:

• Under trees

• Around shrubs

• Along fences

• Yard edges

• Around decks

• Wooded boundaries

Pay particular attention to shaded areas where leaves tend to accumulate.

Trim Shrubs and Overgrown Vegetation

Dense vegetation can create favorable tick habitat and provide cover for wildlife that may carry ticks.

Keep:

• Shrubs trimmed

• Bushes maintained

• Groundcover controlled

• Tall weeds removed

• Fence lines clear

• Property boundaries maintained

Reducing excessively dense growth can also improve sunlight and airflow.

Pay Attention to Wooded Edges

If your lawn borders woods or brush, the transition area between the maintained yard and natural vegetation can be particularly important.

Keep this boundary free from excessive:

• Leaf litter

• Tall weeds

• Brush

• Yard debris

• Overgrown vegetation

These areas may deserve more attention than the middle of the lawn.

Reduce Wildlife-Friendly Conditions

Wildlife can continually bring new ticks onto your property.

Reduce unnecessary areas that provide shelter for animals, such as:

• Dense brush

• Yard clutter

• Debris underneath decks

• Overgrown vegetation

• Unnecessary piles of materials

Also avoid leaving easily accessible food sources outdoors that may attract wildlife.

Keep Pet Areas Maintained

Dogs and cats can encounter ticks outdoors and potentially carry them into your home.

Keep outdoor pet areas:

• Mowed

• Free of excessive leaves

• Clear of unnecessary debris

• Away from dense brush when practical

Regularly inspect areas where pets play, rest and travel.

Protect Your Pets From Ticks

Yard maintenance is only one part of tick prevention when pets regularly spend time outside.

Speak with your veterinarian about appropriate tick prevention for your dog or cat.

Never apply an outdoor yard pesticide directly to an animal unless the product label specifically permits that use.

Keep Play and Seating Areas Away From Dense Vegetation

When practical, position frequently used outdoor areas away from:

• Wooded boundaries

• Tall grass

• Dense shrubs

• Brush

• Heavy groundcover

This can reduce the amount of direct contact people and pets have with some of the yard's more favorable tick habitats.

Treat Appropriate Outdoor Areas

Natural Armor Flea, Tick & Mosquito Shield can be incorporated into your outdoor tick-control routine according to the product label directions.

Focus appropriate treatment on locations where ticks are more likely to live or where people, pets and wildlife may encounter them.

Depending on the approved uses on the label, treatment areas may include appropriate locations around:

• Lawns

• Landscaping

• Shrubs

• Trees

• Fence lines

• Yard edges

• Pet activity areas

• Other outdoor tick habitats

Always follow the label regarding application method, coverage and permitted treatment areas.

Don't Focus Only on the Center of the Lawn

One common mistake is treating the entire yard as though every area has the same level of tick activity.

Pay particular attention to:

• Shaded vegetation

• Yard boundaries

• Leaf litter

• Shrubs

• Brush

• Areas around trees

• Wildlife travel routes

• Pet activity areas

Identifying likely tick habitat can make your prevention strategy more focused.

Maintain Your Yard Throughout Tick Season

Tick prevention isn't usually a one-time project.

Continue to:

• Mow grass

• Trim vegetation

• Remove leaves

• Clear yard debris

• Maintain wooded edges

• Monitor wildlife activity

• Keep pet areas clean

• Inspect tick-prone locations

Consistent maintenance helps prevent favorable tick habitat from developing again.

Can You Completely Keep Ticks Out of Your Yard?

Probably not.

Ticks can be introduced by pets, rodents and wildlife even when a yard is well maintained.

The practical goal is to reduce favorable habitat, limit opportunities for ticks to become established and control activity when it appears.

Keep Ticks Under Control With Natural Armor

Natural Armor Flea, Tick & Mosquito Shield is designed to help control fleas, ticks and mosquitoes in appropriate outdoor areas when used according to the product directions.

For ongoing tick prevention, combine appropriate treatment with:

• Regular mowing

• Leaf-litter removal

• Vegetation management

• Maintenance of wooded boundaries

• Reduced wildlife-friendly conditions

• Appropriate tick protection for pets

• Regular inspection of tick-prone areas

By making your yard less favorable for ticks and focusing treatment on the places they're most likely to live, you can take a more complete approach to reducing tick activity around your home.

Always read and follow all application instructions, approved uses and precautions on the Natural Armor Flea, Tick & Mosquito Shield product label.