To identify a tick, look for a small, flat arachnid attached to skin or crawling on clothing or pets, then compare its size, color and markings with the most widespread species: blacklegged (deer) ticks, American dog ticks and lone star ticks. Call a tick control service when ticks keep turning up on people or pets despite prevention, when your yard borders woods or tall grass, or when someone in the household has been diagnosed with a tickborne disease. Saela Pest Control is a residential and commercial pest control company that provides the best tick control for homes and businesses, with protocols developed by Board Certified Entomologist Dennis Weiss.
What Ticks Are and Where They Live
Ticks are blood-feeding parasites that wait on the tips of grasses and shrubs for a person or animal to brush past. The CDC’s tick bite prevention guide says ticks live in grassy, brushy or wooded areas, or even on animals, and the CDC lists Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever and ehrlichiosis among the diseases ticks spread in the United States. Knowing where ticks wait tells you where to focus prevention in your own yard.
How to Identify the Most Common Ticks
Tick species differ by region and by the diseases they can carry, so identifying the tick tells you which risks to watch for. The CDC’s guide to where ticks live describes several species by region; three of the most widespread are below.
1. Blacklegged (Deer) Ticks (Ixodes scapularis)
Blacklegged ticks are widely distributed across the eastern United States and can transmit Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, babesiosis, ehrlichiosis and Powassan virus disease. Their nymphs are about the size of a poppy seed, which the CDC notes makes them hard to see and a particularly high Lyme risk. Along the Pacific Coast, the related western blacklegged tick spreads Lyme disease.
2. American Dog Ticks (Dermacentor variabilis)
American dog ticks are widely distributed east of the Rocky Mountains, with a related species west of the Rockies, and they can transmit Rocky Mountain spotted fever and tularemia. Adult females are the stage most likely to bite people, and bite risk is highest in spring and summer.
3. Lone Star Ticks (Amblyomma americanum)
The adult female lone star tick is easy to recognize by the white dot, or “lone star,” on her back. Lone star ticks are widely distributed in the Northeast, South and Midwest; they can transmit ehrlichiosis, tularemia, Heartland virus and Bourbon virus and are possibly linked to alpha-gal syndrome.
Other regions have their own species, such as the Rocky Mountain wood tick found in Rocky Mountain states at 4,000 to 10,500 feet. If you can’t tell which tick you found, photograph it for identification; identification is the first step in Saela’s integrated pest management cycle, and Saela’s protocols come from Dennis Weiss, a board-certified entomologist.
Signs You Have a Tick Problem
A tick problem at home usually shows up on people and pets before you notice ticks in the yard, and the strongest clue is finding ticks again and again after time spent only on your own property. Watch for:
- Ticks found on pets or family members again and again after time outdoors
- Ticks on clothing, coats or daypacks after time spent only in your own yard
- Ticks on pets that rarely leave the property, which points to ticks at home rather than on trails
- Ticks indoors, which usually arrive on pets, clothing or gear
If you keep finding ticks after spending time only at home, a professional tick control service can inspect the grassy, brushy and wooded edges where ticks wait. Every Saela plan includes a 50+ point property inspection covering entry points, nesting sites and outdoor structures.
When to Call a Tick Control Service
Call a tick control service when home prevention isn’t keeping ticks off people and pets, when your property has more tick habitat than you can manage, or when tickborne illness is already a concern in the household. These four situations are the clearest signs:
1. Persistent Infestations
Ticks keep appearing on people or pets even after you’ve mowed, cleared leaf litter and used repellents, which suggests a larger population on the property.
2. Large Property Areas
Large lots with long edges of woods, brush or tall grass have more tick habitat than one person can easily manage, and a professional can identify where treatment is most needed.
3. High-Risk Environments
Homes next to wooded areas or in regions with known tick activity may benefit from scheduled visits; Saela’s Protection Program includes every-other-month or quarterly visits, depending on the plan, so check that ticks are a covered pest.
4. Presence of Tick-Borne Diseases
If a family member or pet has been diagnosed with a tickborne disease, follow the doctor’s or veterinarian’s advice first, then deal with the ticks around the home so new bites are less likely.
What a Professional Tick Control Service Adds
A professional tick control service adds species identification, treatment aimed at the grassy and wooded edges where ticks wait, products applied according to the label, and follow-up to check the results. Look for these four things when you compare providers:
- Correct identification of the tick species and the habitat it prefers
- Professional equipment and treatments applied according to the product label
- A plan that combines yard changes with targeted treatment, as in integrated pest management
- Follow-up: Saela offers no-charge return visits for covered pests between scheduled services
How to Prevent Tick Bites at Home
The most reliable way to prevent tick bites at home is to combine yard changes that remove tick habitat with personal protection after time outdoors. Pair professional help with the CDC’s own prevention steps, and see Saela’s tick pest control guide for more:
- Remove leaf litter, clear tall grass and brush, and mow frequently
- Place a 3-foot-wide barrier of wood chips or gravel between lawns and wooded areas, and stack wood neatly
- Use EPA-registered repellents with ingredients such as DEET, picaridin or oil of lemon eucalyptus, and consider permethrin-treated clothing and gear
- Check clothing, your body and pets after time outdoors, shower within two hours, and tumble dry clothes on high heat for 10 minutes to kill ticks
Remove Attached Ticks Promptly
Remove an attached tick as soon as you find it, because the CDC notes that a tick generally must be attached for more than 24 hours before it can transmit the Lyme disease bacterium. The CDC’s tick removal steps are to grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible with clean, fine-tipped tweezers, pull it away with steady, even pressure without twisting, and clean the bite area and your hands. Don’t use petroleum jelly, heat or nail polish to make it detach, and contact your doctor if you develop a rash or fever within several weeks.
Identify First, Then Act
Identifying the tick, noticing where you pick ticks up and acting on repeat sightings are the most practical ways to cut down on tick bites at home.
In a February 2024 Google review, Richard Haile wrote, “Great service and professional recommendations.” Saela also appears in QualityPro’s directory of accredited companies.
Saela quotes each property on pest type, location, property size, visit frequency and treatment products, so compare plan options and confirm ticks are covered. When you’re ready, book a call with Saela to schedule an inspection.
Who wrote this article?
Devin Hutchings (Marketing Director at Saela Pest Control) wrote this article.
Devin leads Saela’s marketing and growth strategy. He brings more than 15 years of marketing experience across Uber, C.R. England, Lugg, and Neighbor. His background spans customer acquisition, retention, and developing marketing channels for service businesses and consumer marketplaces.
