Ticks

In Westchester, Putnam and Fairfield counties, residential development within recently reforested suburban areas has brought an increased number of people into closer contact with the tick vector, Ixodes scapularis, and consequently to the Lyme disease agent, Borrelia burgdorferi. This species of tick and its natural hosts (e.g., deer and small vertebrates) are thriving in most lawns and wooded areas. High densities of white-tailed deer, the most important host of the adult-stage tick, are constantly feeding on shrubs and plantings found in most residential landscapes. Mice and other small vertebrates are common hosts of the juvenile stage of the tick, and many of these hosts also serve as reservoirs of the disease. The Rayal Tree Care Company can reduce the exposure to your family and pets with safe and effective products.

Evaluation & treatment
The first step is to schedule an evaluation of your property with one of our many experience arborists. We will design a plan specifically for your landscape needs and expectations. Monthly applications are applied to keep up with any re-infestation caused by deer or mice. Only our trained technicians will apply these products within the guidelines determined by the pesticide agencies. Because no product provides 100% kill rate, tick checks and common sense are an essential component of tick control and disease prevention. To protect your family from ticks, call on the professionals at the Rayal Tree Care Company today.

• Clearing leaves, brush, tall grasses and woodpiles from around your house and the edges of your yard or garden may help reduce the tick population and the rodent population that the ticks depend on.
• Keep your body covered as much as possible when working or playing in grassy or wooded areas.
• Hats, long sleeve shirts, and pant legs tucked into socks will reduce tick bites.
• Check your pets for ticks after they've been outdoors. Not only can your pet get Lyme disease, but it can carry infected ticks indoors where the ticks might fall off your pet and attach to you.
• If you live in an area where Lyme disease is prevalent, check your children daily for ticks, especially during the summer months.
• At the end of the day, take a shower and use a washcloth to clean your body. This will knock off any ticks that are loosely attached to your body. Remember, it takes about 24 hours for a tick to attach itself to the skin.