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

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

They latch onto a host. Creep around. Dig in. Feed on blood. Yuck.

Worse, tick numbers are increasing in Racine County, Wisconsin and northern Illinois. Mild winters and a healthy deer herd (which carries ticks) are often blamed.

Ticks Can Spread Lyme Disease

Ticks are repulsive insects. They can be dangerous, too. The pinhead-size deer tick (one of two tick species in this area) can harbor Lyme disease. Its symptoms include a ring-shaped rash and fatigue; long-term effects can extend to injuring 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 Racine County. If you have ticks in your yard or are troubled about the possibility, contact The Mosquito Guy

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

Two applications usually provide 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 precautionary measures on your own, too. Ticks can’t jump or skitter, so try crafting 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.

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

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

If you spot 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 inspect pets, too. If your pet roams tick territory, a vet can apply or recommend a topical repellent to keep ticks away.

The ideal 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 application to keep ticks away. Consider it an investment against “disgusting” … and into your mental well-being.