All You Need To Know About Fleas & Ticks
Enjoying your yard should be a peaceful experience, but when fleas and ticks invade, it becomes a health concern for your family and pets. When these tiny pests take over your yard, you and your loved ones are at risk of painful bites that can cause infections and transmit diseases. To keep your home safe, keep reading to learn how to properly identify and control fleas and ticks on your property!
What’s The Difference Between Fleas & Ticks?
Although both fleas and ticks are parasitic bloodsuckers, they differ in several ways, including biology, reproduction, behavior, and the types of risks they pose. Fleas are insects with powerful legs for jumping and a flat, hard body that allows them to move easily through the fur of pets. They multiply quickly, and even a few fleas can lead to a major infestation in a matter of weeks. Ticks, on the other hand, are slow-moving arachnids that attach themselves to a host for several days to feed. Instead of jumping, they wait in grass or shrubs to latch onto an animal or human passing by.
Fleas:
- Small, brownish insects (1–3 mm) that jump.
- Can lay hundreds of eggs within weeks.
- Primarily infest pets and indoor environments.
- Common carriers of tapeworms and flea-borne bacteria.
Ticks:
- Larger arachnids with eight legs.
- Do not jump—rely on questing behavior.
- Feed slowly over several days.
- Known to transmit Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and other illnesses.
Are Flea & Tick Bites Dangerous?
Yes, both flea and tick bites can be dangerous, especially if left untreated or if the pests are carrying disease. Flea bites are irritating and itchy, and excessive scratching can lead to secondary infections. In pets, fleas can cause allergic reactions, dermatitis, and even anemia if the infestation is severe. Some fleas also carry tapeworms and bacterial diseases like Bartonella henselae, the organism responsible for cat scratch fever.
Tick bites are even more concerning because ticks are known vectors of several serious illnesses. These include Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, ehrlichiosis, tularemia, and more. Not every tick carries a disease, but there’s no easy way to tell just by looking. The risk of disease transmission increases the longer a tick remains attached to a host. In some rare cases, ticks can also cause a condition called tick paralysis, which results from a neurotoxin in the tick’s saliva and can lead to muscle weakness or even respiratory failure if not addressed.
What Attracts Fleas & Ticks To Your Yard?
Fleas and ticks are most commonly found in yards that provide shelter, food sources, and humidity. They thrive in shaded areas with dense vegetation, leaf litter, or woodpiles. The presence of wildlife, such as raccoons, squirrels, deer, or stray cats, can also bring these pests into your space, depositing larvae or adult pests that continue to breed and spread.
Yard Conditions That Attract Fleas and Ticks:
- Overgrown grass, weeds, and shrubs.
- Damp, shaded areas with low airflow.
- Leaf piles, mulch beds, or compost heaps.
- Presence of wildlife or stray animals.
- Unprotected pets that move between infested and clean areas.
How To Check For Fleas & Ticks
Regularly checking for fleas and ticks is a crucial part of preventing infestations and catching problems early. For pets, use a fine-toothed flea comb to examine their fur, especially around the neck, ears, underarms, and tail area where fleas like to hide. If you see small black specks (often called flea dirt) or spot the pests themselves, your pet may be dealing with a flea problem. Also, observe for excessive scratching or biting at the skin.
For ticks, manually inspect pets and people after spending time outdoors, especially if you’ve walked through wooded areas, fields, or tall grass. Focus on areas like behind the ears, around the neck, under the arms, between the legs, and around the waistband. Ticks can be small, especially in the nymph stage, so you may need to feel for small bumps along the skin as you check.
- Check Your Yard! You should also monitor your yard itself. Use a white cloth to perform a “tick drag” by dragging it slowly across the grass and brush in your yard, especially along edges and fence lines. Check the cloth periodically for clinging ticks, and check your pets for fleas regularly!
How To Remove Ticks Properly
Proper tick removal is crucial to avoid complications. If a tick is embedded in the skin, never squeeze, twist, or burn it off, as this increases the risk of regurgitation and disease transmission. Instead, use fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible and pull it out gently with steady pressure. Once removed, clean the bite site and dispose of the tick safely. Monitor the area for signs of infection or a bull’s-eye rash.
Safe Tick Removal Steps:
- Use fine-point tweezers instead of fingers or sharp objects.
- Grasp tick close to the skin without twisting.
- Pull slowly and steadily upward.
- Disinfect the site with rubbing alcohol or soap and water.
- Dispose of the tick by placing it in sealed bags or alcohol.
- Watch for rashes, swelling, or flu-like symptoms over the next few weeks.
How To Prevent Fleas & Ticks In Your Yard
Prevention is the most effective strategy to avoid flea and tick infestations. It begins with smart landscaping practices like keeping the grass trimmed, eliminating excess brush, and removing debris that provides shelter. Reducing wildlife traffic and using natural or chemical treatments also help break the life cycles of these pests. For added protection, ensure your pets are on a regular flea and tick prevention program year-round, especially in warmer months.
Yard Prevention Tips:
- Mow the lawn regularly and keep vegetation trimmed.
- Remove leaf piles, woodpiles, and excess mulch.
- Create gravel or mulch buffer zones around yard edges.
- Install fencing to keep wildlife out.
- Use beneficial nematodes or safe insecticides as needed.
- Treat pets with veterinarian-recommended preventatives.
- Consider professional flea and tick yard treatments in spring and summer.
Professional Flea & Tick Control
Fleas and ticks can introduce serious health threats to your home, yard, pets, and loved ones. While both pests are drawn to shaded, humid, or overgrown environments, there are several practical steps you can take to prevent them from thriving on your property. Proper lawn care is always the best foundation for avoiding pest problems, but professional pest control may be necessary if fleas and ticks take over your yard.
Thankfully, Summit Lawns offers the best lawn care and lawn pest control services in Omaha! Call us today if you need help controlling fleas and ticks on your property!
