Protecting Against Ticks (and Lyme disease) in McHenry County, Wisconsin & Northern Illinois

Of all the insects out there, ticks are among the most disgusting.

They glom onto a host. Crawl around. Dig in. Gorge on blood. Yuck.

Worse, tick numbers are rising in McHenry County, Wisconsin and northern Illinois. Less-harsh winters and a healthy deer herd (which carries ticks) are often blamed.

Ticks Can Spread Lyme Disease

Ticks are vile insects. They can be hazardous, too. The pinhead-size deer tick (one of two tick species in this area) can carry Lyme disease. Its symptoms include a ring-shaped rash and fatigue; long-term effects can extend to damaging organs and the nervous system. Permanent disability is a very real possibility.

The CDC estimate that 300,000 Americans contract Lyme disease annually. Don’t be one in McHenry County. If you have ticks in your yard or are worried about the possibility, contact The Mosquito Guy

A single tick protection application by The Mosquito Guy will control ticks on your property for up to 30 days. Late spring and early summer are peak tick season, so applying tick repellent by mid-May is recommended. Treatment starts at just $125 per yard.

Two treatments usually deliver sufficient tick control. If you want to prevent ticks in your yard, call 262-521-1258, or e-mail margie@themosquitoguy.com, for a free quote.

You can take protective measures on your own, too. Ticks can’t jump or skitter, so try building distinctive paths between lawn and wooded areas using wood chips or gravel. Clearing away tall grass helps.

When you’re outdoors, wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants to shield against ticks. Tucking pants into socks or boots creates a tight barrier. Wearing light-colored clothing makes ticks less able to hide.

Powerful tick repellents are available. Twenty percent DEET formula is recommended.

Once back indoors, check your whole body for ticks. They like to hide, so don’t overlook your body’s natural areas of cover: hair, scalp, armpits, groin and behind the knee. Even wood ticks, the other common species in McHenry County, are only about a quarter-inch long (before blood siphoning, that is). Don’t be hesitant about searching, lest you miss a hitchhiker.

If you locate one, here’s how to remove it: Grab with a tweezer as close to the skin as possible, and pull straight up and out.

Don’t forget to examine pets, too. If your dog or cat wanders tick habitat, a veterinarian can apply or recommend a topical repellent to keep ticks away.

The best approach, of course, is to make your yard as unwelcoming to ticks as possible … and that’s where The Mosquito Guy can help. Contact us for a yard treatment to keep ticks away. Consider it an investment against “disgusting” … and into your mental well-being.