Limiting fleas and ticks on your lawn (10-06-08)

Flea and tick populations can occasionally reach high numbers in a lawn. Not only do they cause irritating painful bites, but they can also transmit serious diseases. Ticks are very hardy and can survive many months waiting for a suitable host. To limit the potential for ticks and fleas in your lawn, the following tips will help.

Pests are usuShmulskyally brought into the home lawn aboard pets or other animals. This includes wild animals, therefore, the first step is to control ticks on the animals that frequent the area. For your pets, applying appropriate collars, repellants and insecticides will help. Do not allow them to roam wooded areas and carry ticks back into the lawn.

For wild animals and strays limit their access by fencing, lights, etc., keep vegetation cut low to discourage deer and other animals from entering the lawn. And lastly, if ticks or fleas do infest your lawn use appropriate insecticide sprays to control them. It is best to treat the entire lawn, but the most obvious areas will be where pets rest, along paths or trails that are traveled by wildlife, around building perimeters, and on any tall weedy vegetation.

You can also reduce the chance of being bitten by ticks or fleas by protecting yourself when working or playing where they may be. Tuck the legs of pants into tops of boots or socks. Keep shirttails in and use repellents such as permethrin or DEET. For more details on these and other insects that may invade your lawn refer to Control of Insect Pests In and Around the Home Lawn.

Published October 6, 2008

Dr. Wayne Wells is an Extension Professor and Turfgrass Specialist. His mailing address is Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, Mail Stop 9555, Mississippi State, MS 39762. wwells@ext.msstate.edu