Ticks: how to treat your property the right way
Blanket treatment is neither necessary nor beneficial — what matters is treating the risk zones.
Acaricide treatment of a property gives rise to two opposing misconceptions. Some people believe that the entire area should be treated as often as possible; others believe that treatment is pointless because ticks will still arrive from neighbouring land. Both extremes are wrong.
Ticks are not very mobile: over their entire lives, they travel tens of metres, not kilometres. A treated property therefore remains relatively protected, while most new ticks enter across its boundaries — from woodland, vacant land, an abandoned neighbouring property, or along paths.
This determines the logic of treatment: focus on risk zones rather than treating the entire area. These include the perimeter bordering untreated land, paths and walkways, recreation areas and playgrounds, areas with tall grass and shrubs, and ground beneath trees with a dense layer of leaf litter. An open, mown lawn in the middle of the property requires almost no treatment because there is nowhere for ticks to wait.
Treatment conditions matter. Apply the product in dry weather, once the soil has warmed, and when there is no wind, either in the morning or evening. Rain within the next twenty-four hours will negate the treatment. The first treatment is usually carried out in the second half of April or early May and, if necessary, repeated closer to August, before the second peak in activity.
Treatment does not remove the need to mow grass, clear leaves and fallen branches, wear clothing that covers the skin, and check for ticks after every visit to grassy areas. Treatment reduces the risk but does not eliminate it; a timely check can almost completely eliminate it.
