Topic: Reduce the risk in your yard! Tick prevention advice.
bcb1200
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 25745
posted
So..I thought I would post this as I've seen many people discuss how they will NEVER walk, sit, etc, on grass again.
I respect people's choices in these decisions. But at the same time, I thought I would at least try to spread the word on how you can reduce the risk in your yard and enjoy the grass again.
Page 48: "The blacklegged tick is found mainly in densely wooded areas (67% of total sampled) and ecotone (22%), which is unmaintained transitional edge habitat between woodlands and open areas. Fewer ticks are found in ornamental vegetation (9%) and lawn (2%). Within the lawn, most of the ticks (82%) are located within 3 yards of the lawn perimeter particularly along woodlands, stonewalls, or ornamental plantings."
Page 53: "In the laboratory, landscape materials have been shown to deter tick movement and around homes, a three-foot wide or broader woodchip barrier may help reduce tick abundance on the lawn"
There is a great map of a lawn on this page showing an ideal layout. Notice a playgroud is at least 3 yards (9ft) from the woods.
Deer ticks do not move more than a foot or two laterally, so ticks from a neighbor's untreated land will not migrate onto your land under their own power. They may be carried over on the back of a larger animal, say, a dog or a cat, but they are attempting to feed on that dog, and they only feed once in each stage of their life. If they feed on the dog they will have no interest and will not be able to feed on you. It is true that some ticks brought over on the back of a dog will be shaken off before they attach to that dog, and to that extent you would be better off if all the surrounding parcels were treated. But this is restating the obvious - the more land treated the more protection, as is true with any area-based pesticide. More importantly, the Tick Tubes� you put out on your property will work in the home range of mice near those tubes; whether or not your neighbor treats his land. "
Page 15 (page 3-4): "Studies in residential areas in New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania have shown that most immature and adult deer ticks are found in woodlots or the wooded bufffers between yards and along edge habitats, and especially in unmaintained borders. High risk areas are often found around rockwalls, woodpiles and brushpiles. All stages of deer ticks are extremely rare on maintained lawn, although ticks may occasionally be found on the lawn close (within 2-3 meters) to the ecotone."
I also use Ticktubes around the house and in the woods each spring / fall.
This spring we are putting in a 3' mulch border around the perimeter of our yard. We ahve also made sure our new swing set is at least 9' from the edge of the woods. (I made it 15').
Doing the above, I have greatly reduced the risk of ticks on my property.
Enjoy!
-------------------- Bite date ? 2/10 symptoms began 5/10 dx'd, after 3 months numerous test and doctors
IgM Igenex +/CDC + + 23/25, 30, 31, 34, 41, 83/93
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Currently at around 95% +/- most days. Posts: 3139 | From Massachusetts | Registered: May 2010
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quote:Originally posted by just don: Others claim that orange smells are repellants also,,never had an orange tree here!!
Don't need an orange tree, Don - Orange Guard or TKO Orange concentrate will do the trick - Orange Guard is sold in healthfood stores and hardware stores, and TKO Orange can be ordered online.
They extracted d'limonene from oranges - it's how the fruit keeps bugs away.
Put a little of the stuff in a spray bottle, fill with water and spray on clothing, immediate environment and lightly rub/mist on dog/cat fur.
For a larger spraying area, my friend rented a spraying machine and sprayed his many acres of land in Mendocino, CA with TKO Orange by the gallon, and reported no more ticks.
My question still is how this affects the land. I don't know. Just no more ticks.
And it's also a great cleaner.
Posts: 13171 | From San Francisco | Registered: May 2006
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