What to do about Ticks?

Please don’t spray your yard for ticks. Why?

• Because tick yard sprays (even the organic ones) are non-selective insecticides—they kill all insects, including the ones we love like bees, butterflies, and fireflies. These pesticides contribute not only to the massive die-off of our insect populations, but they also have harmful secondary effects on birds and aquatic organisms. There is NO SUCH THING as a harmless tick yard spray. 
• Because there is no proof that tick yard sprays actually reduce tick borne diseases. Read the Cary Institute’s Tick Study.
• Because broadcast tick yard sprays aren’t good for you or your pets, either. A recent study links the prolonged use of pyrethroids, a common insecticide, to an increase in heart disease and premature death.

Spray yourself. 

The MOST effective, easiest, and least expensive way is to spray yourself and check yourself. You are the target, so put the spray where it is most effective and will do the least amount of harm—on you and your clothing. Choose a spray with picaridin. It’s not “organic” but it is the least toxic synthetic option and it lasts longer than herbal oils.

For short-term exposures, we recommend natural insect repellents (with lemon eucalyptus, cedar, and rose geranium oils), which have shown to be effective, though short-lasting. These products carry far less human health and environmental risks than their synthetic counterparts.

But please note: If these oils are sprayed on your garden, they will kill bees and butterflies.

Check yourself. 

The most effective preventive measure of all is to wear protective clothing and be diligent about checking yourself. Property spray programs give people a false sense of security and they stop being vigilant. There is no way that blasting your garden with a pesticide can guarantee that you are never going to encounter a tick, but it sure will mess with the lives of your pollinators and birds

Wear protective clothing.

If visiting high tick population areas, wear long sleeves and pants tucked into tall socks. Wear light-colored garments so ticks can be seen. Tall rubber boots (Wellingtons) are also recommended. And do a tick check as soon as you’re home.

If bitten by a tick, remove it with tweezers, slowly. Seek medical attention if you experience nausea, dizziness, flu-like symptoms, or develop a rash. Let your doctor know of the tick bite and provide the tick, if possible. It is recommended to save the tick and see a doctor if you suspect it has been on you for more than 24 hours. 

Take precautions in your yard.

Ticks live in tall grasses, brush, and shrubs, hanging out low down in moist and shady spots. They come out briefly to “quest” or find a host. Ticks cannot jump or fall on you from above. They only have to be able to reach out and grab on. Keep highly used grassy areas mowed. Make paths in meadows and gardens 10-feet wide to avoid contact with overhanging grasses and shrubs.

Irrigate seldom and deep. Let plantings dry out well between waterings. This is good for the plants too. 

Remove invasive barberry on your property. It creates a microclimate that is hospitable to black-legged ticks, the species that carry Lyme disease, and its dense, thorny habitat protects ticks from predators, according to research.

Provide habitat for predators. The white-footed mouse is a major reservoir of tick-borne diseases. Raptors, foxes, and snakes are among their biggest enemies. Invite them in! 

What about Pets?

Flea and tick collars use a systemic pesticide called Imidacloprid. Systemic means it infiltrates your pet’s system. Imidacloprid is a neonicotinoid, the insecticide indicated as a major cause of butterfly declines. A recent study about flea and tick treatments also reveals that pet owners risk contaminating their hands with neurotoxins for at least 28 days after application, scientists find. Once you know this, would you want to pet your pet? Or let your kids or grandchildren play with your pet? Flea and tick pills consist of a different insecticide that is also systemic. The urine of pets on these treatments is toxic to soil organisms and can leach into waterways. 

What about your neighbors? 

Most communities have “peddler laws,” which prohibit door-to-door sales.  If a spray company is making the rounds in your neighborhood, report them. Most counties have notification laws that require 24-48 hours of notice to neighbors before spraying and warning signs set out. If your neighbors’ spray programs are not doing this, report them.

And your neighbors themselves? How do you get them to stop? Don’t single them out, but organize neighborhood workshops to discuss why these sprays are harmful and offer ecological solutions. 

If you are determined to spray, please DO NOT plant a pollinator garden. You’re simply inviting butterflies and moths to their deaths.