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SCIENTIFIC NAME: Acari: Ixodidae Ixodes scapularis
COLOR: Dark-colored
DESCRIPTION: Deer ticks are small, dark-colored
ticks sometimes called seed ticks. Deer ticks feed mostly on
deer, cattle, and other large animals, but they will feed on
people when they get a chance.
HABITAT: These ticks are found along paths,
trails, and roadways.
TYPE OF DAMAGE: May inflict a painful bite. Deer
ticks can carry Lyme disease. Deer ticks are in the genus
Ixodes, and there are several species of Ixodes that carry
the Lyme disease bacteria in their systems. Lyme disease has
become a notable tick-borne disease in some eastern states
but does not appear to be a problem in Virginia yet. It is
an affliction that occurs in the summer months. This
tick-transmitted bacterial disease is most likely to be
contracted during the months of June through September, when
young people and adults are outdoors. It is spreading
rapidly, and is now the most frequently diagnosed
tick-transmitted illness in the United States. Lyme disease
is also becoming a veterinary problem. Dogs and horses in
areas where the disease is common have developed joint
problems that veterinarians believe to be caused by Lyme
bacteria.
CONTROL: T.HE. Exterminator utilizes the Maxforce
Tick management System.
The key to the Maxforce Tick Management System is a
small, plastic box containing an insecticide that's
effective against ticks and a bait that's attractive to
mice. Your pest management professional or lawn care
operator determines how many boxes you need to protect your
property and places them around the perimeter of your yard.
Mice are attracted to the boxes and enter them through a
small hole in each one. As a mouse moves through a box, it
passes under a small applicator wick containing a low-dose
insecticide. The wick will lightly brush the mouse, gently
applying traces of the insecticide.
The insecticide won't harm the mouse or any other animal
that might touch or even eat it, but it will kill the ticks
the mouse is carrying. A single dose will protect the mouse
from new ticks for up to 40 days. As they return to the
System, they will receive additional protection.
The system boxes are self-contained and maintenance free
once installed. The insecticide they use [fipronil] is not a
threat to any animal other than ticks on small rodents.
This shows a typical Maxforce Tick Management System
installation. The shaded areas show typical rodent
territories in your yard.
The system is effective for approximately 90 days. Two
90-day installations are all that's required to take care of
your ticks for a full season.
INTERESTING FACTS: Lyme disease was first reported
in Connecticut in 1975, and is named after the town of Lyme
in which the disease was first observed.
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