Protecting Against Ticks (and Lyme disease) in Elmwood Park, WI & Northern Illinois

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

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

Worse, tick numbers are growing in Elmwood Park, 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 Elmwood Park. If you have ticks in your yard or are anxious 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 time, so applying tick repellent by mid-May is endorsed. Treatment starts at just $125 per yard.

Two treatments 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 deterrent steps on your own, too. Ticks can’t jump or skitter, so try building distinctive paths between lawn and wooded areas comprised of wood chips or gravel. Clearing away tall grass helps.

When you’re outside, 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 easier to spot.

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

Once back indoors, check your entire body for ticks. They prefer 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 Elmwood Park, are only about a quarter-inch long (before blood siphoning, that is). Don’t be reluctant about searching, lest you miss a hitchhiker.

If you find 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 most thorough 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 sanity.

Protecting Your Family Against Ticks & Lyme Disease near Elmwood Park, WI