TICKS

Ticks feed exclusively on the blood of vertebrates. There are two families of ticks which contain most of the species in the order; hard ticks and soft ticks.. Ticks have four stages in their life cycle: egg, larva, nymph, and adult. The adults have 8 legs, so they are not insects. Some species only have 6 legs in their nymphal stages. The most common tick, in the Fort Worth/Dallas area, is the brown dog tick. These are hard ticks . Ticks may carry such diseases as the Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Lyme disease, typhus and Texas cattle fever and others. Only certain ticks, such as the American dog tick and the Wood tick carry some of these diseases.

Most ticks spend their life on or near the ground, waiting for a suitable host animal, since they cannot jump, run or fly. Ticks climb onto objects such as tall grass or weeds, up onto fences or sides of buildings and then wait for a suitable host to pass by. When they detect vibrations or host odors or exhaled carbon dioxide, they will fall from their perch and hope to attach themselves onto a passing host. When ticks grow from one stage to another, they crawl into cracks, under tree bark and especially up between where the brick siding and wood trim of the building eaves meet. They usually are going to stay where the dog or other hosts are spending most of their time.

Treatment: Call us at [817] 834-3121 or click on our menu to email us and we will contact you. Homes or offices must be treated inside with insecticides where ever these pests may live. Sometimes it is necessary for us to fog to move the ticks out of cracks and crevices. Outdoors the lawn and other areas pets and host animals frequent must be treated, with special attention to tree trunks, where siding and trim meet, dog house areas and pet resting areas. Be assured we will provide just the right service to eliminate these pests.

Homeowner Control: Keep your pets, especially dogs, treated with tick and flea products according to label specifications. Consult your veterinarian for the best products. Check your pets regularly.