Ticks are small creatures and are related to spiders in the arachnid group.  They have 3 life stages, larva, nymph, and adult.  In each of these stages, the tick must feed on blood in order to grow into the next stage in its life cycle.  Therefore, after attaching to a host, they feed on the hosts’ blood over several days and then they fall off the host.  When feeding on the host, sometimes the saliva of the tick mixes with the host’s blood.  If the tick’s saliva contains a disease (possibly from a previous meal/host) then the “new” host could become infected with that disease.  Imagine the host is you, a human, and you are now infected with that disease. 

In New Jersey, there are three most common tick species.  The black-legged tick, the lone star tick, and the American dog tick.  The nymph tick is the most common to spread disease as they are so tiny they are hard to spot on your body.  

The most common tick-borne illness in New Jersey is Lyme Disease.  This is transmitted by the black-legged tick and is a bacteria that spreads the disease.  Babesiosis is another common tick-borne disease in New Jersey.  This is also transmitted by the black-legged tick and it is a protozoan that is the disease agent that carries the disease, not a bacteria. Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever is another tick-borne disease in New Jersey.  This is transmitted by the American Dog tick and is caused by bacteria.  Ehrlichiosis is a top tick-borne disease in New Jersey, this is caused by the Lone Star Tick and is spread by bacteria.  

In most cases, ticks must be attached for a minimum of 24 hours to transmit disease and prompt removal of a tick, the correct way, can greatly reduce your chances of getting a tick-borne disease.  

In Monmouth County New Jersey, the risk of ticks is greatest from May through July, however, ticks can become active on any day in any month when temperatures rise about 45F.  

Ways you can reduce ticks in your yard can be with landscaping.  If you have heavy trees or woods along the back of your property, you can line your yard with cedar wood chips. Cedar is a natural deterrent for ticks.  Make sure that your yard is free of excess needles/leaves that fall off the trees.  Ticks like to hide in these, so consistent clean-up is key to helping to reduce ticks in your yard.  

Another great way to reduce ticks in your yard is to hire a company such as Garden State Mosquito & Tick to come and treat your property so that way you can enjoy your yard. 

If you still have questions, contact Garden State Mosquito & Tick.  We are your local mosquito control experts in New Jersey. Call 848-888-2560 or contact us here