Congrats! You've almost made it through another mosquito season but it isn't over yet. Although these pests are dying off they will still be buzzing until the weather reaches a consistent 50ºF.
However, that still leaves us with one bad biter...ticks!
Why is fall is a major tick season? Ticks love leaf litter and thrive off of your neighborhood critters. As the leaves fall and animals are running rapid stocking up food for the winter, your tick population with grow and thrive. Female usually look to lay their eggs in leaf mulch or dry brush; they are known to lay as many as 3000 eggs per season. Some types of ticks eggs hatch during the fall and will actively seek a host thereafter.
Don't they die in cold weather? Nope. Ticks do not die in the winter, they become dormant when the temperature drops below 45ªF. One warm day, though, and the tick can re-activate. Ticks can live up to 3 years depending on the species.
Fun fact! Ticks can survive a ride in the washing machine! It is not the heat that kills ticks, its dryness. Ticks require moisture to survive, so one quick spin in the dry cycle and those ticks will be burnt to a crisp.
Stay Safe. You should continue to take precaution for ticks throughout the fall. Make sure your professional pest control is continuing to spray your yard throughout the season and always check you and your loved ones for ticks after being outside.
