Each spring, homeowners start the season-long battle to keep their pets and families protected from these pesky insects. To understand how to best protect loved ones, we need to understand the enemy.

 

Let’s start with ticks. There are several types of ticks that are present in NH, but the two most abundant are the brown tick, or the “dog tick,” and the black-legged tick, or the “deer tick.” Both of these species have a 3-year life span and require three feedings to complete their life cycle. They both can transmit disease. The dog tick transmits canine ehrlichiosis and babesiosis to dogs. The deer tick transmits Lyme disease, babesiosis, and anaplasmosis in people. Dog ticks are much larger than deer ticks, as you can see from this picture. 

There are over forty varieties of mosquitoes in New Hampshire, and they all can have multiple generations in a single year. They can transmit diseases as well, like encephalitis, west Nile virus, and dengue. They also transmit heartworm disease in dogs.

 

We feel that, as a homeowner, the best way to keep your family safe is to incorporate a two-pronged strategy. The first step is to eliminate habitat that is best suited for ticks and mosquitoes. Keep your lawn mowed regularly, pick up and remove debris and leaf piles, and keep the yard tidy. These habits will decrease breeding and nesting areas and reduce tick populations on your property. Mosquitoes require stagnant water to breed, so make sure that wheelbarrows are turned over, bird baths, gutters, and any other place where water can collect is managed. One 10’ by 15’ kiddie pool left with water in it can breed up to 1,000,000 mosquitoes in a single season. Once you are able to apply all those cultural practices, we recommend monthly sprays to complete your property barrier. Spraying the property, specifically the perimeter, will dramatically reduce insect pressure.

 

There are two ways a property can be sprayed with a backpack fogger or a high-pressure horticulture system. The high-pressure system is far superior as it has the pressure to disturb leaf piles, penetrate dense foliage stone walls and under decks, as well as get up into the perimeter trees.

 

What you are spraying is equally important as the equipment used. There are hundreds of pesticides available on the market, from synthetic insecticides to organic products. Some work well, others not at all. We recommend speaking to a professional as there are a lot of misconceptions about these insecticides.

 

If you have questions or are interested in how a spray program works, we have videos on our website https://groundhogturfcare.com/news-videos/, or you can call us at 603-505-8587, and we will be happy to answer questions and give you a free quote on treating your property.