LIFE CYCLE

Ticks are a parasite and must have blood to reproduce.  All ticks go through an incomplete metamorphosis (molting) to develop.  With the exception of the egg, ticks take blood meals at every stage of development.

                Egg

Larva – has 6 legs

Nymph – has 8 legs

Adult – has 8 legs        

Once the larval stage of the tick emerges from the egg, it can survive up to 8 months before it takes a blood meal.  Upon finding a host, the tick will begin to engorge itself.  This process can take 3-6 days.  After it is engorged, the tick will drop off and hide.  The tick will then begin to molt, or shed its skin.  After 1-3 weeks the larva will molt into a nymph.  This is the first instar (stage).  Ticks go through several instars before developing into an adult tick.  A tick can wait up to 3 months before taking another blood meal.  Once it has attached to a new host, the nymph will begin to engorge itself.  It can take 4-9 days for a tick nymph to become engorged.  This cycle continues until the tick becomes an adult.  In ideal conditions a tick can complete its life cycle in as little as 63 days.  Engorged adult females lay eggs between blood meals, up to 5000 at a time. 

INSPECTION

Areas to inspect for signs of a tick infestation are typically pets, pet bedding, flooring, under furniture, and outside.  Be very thorough when inspecting for ticks as they are small and very good at hiding.  If you have seen ticks crawling on walls, check behind pictures/artwork that they can crawl behind, as well as in curtains. 

PREPARATION

Before you treat your pet: if you are going to apply a topical tick treatment (Frontline™, K9 Advantix™, etc.) and need to bathe the animal, do so before you apply the treatment.  If you shampoo your pet, allow 48-72 hours before application.  The reason being is that topical treatments spread through the animal’s body oils.  Shampoos break down the pets body oils just as it does humans.  Application before 48 hours may result in the product not spreading properly and can cause it to have limited/no effectiveness.  Once the treatment has been applied DO NOT SHAMPOO your pet again for 30 days.  Some topicals are water-resistant, NONE are shampoo-resistant.  Also, frequent washing is unhealthy for an animal’s skin and can exacerbate itching problems.

• Before you treat your home: Thoroughly vacuum all crack and crevice areas.  These include where the baseboard and the flooring meet, underneath furniture, and anywhere else something small could hide.
• Before you treat outside: Make sure nothing you don’t want to spray is in the yard.  Thoroughly check anything you move (playground equipment, bicycles, etc.) so that you aren’t moving ticks from one area to another. 

TREATMENT

• Indoors: treat all surfaces of the floor (carpet, tile, wood, EVERYTHING).  This includes rooms where you/the pet may not frequently go. Remember, all stages crawl through the carpet.  That includes under doors, furniture, etc.  Keep everyone (people and pets) off treated areas until they dry completely.  Once dry it is safe for everyone to return.

• Outdoors: treat all grass and soil areas of the yard, up to 4’ high.  This includes the sides of the house, the fence, trunks of trees, shrubs, and the sides of utility buildings.  IF IT IS UNDER 4 FEET HIGH, IT NEEDS TO GET WET. Ticks will climb to brush off onto hosts. The more thorough you are, the less places a tick can safely hide.

FOLLOW-UP

Keep a close eye on the pets and the house during the weeks following treatment.  If you see a tick before 30 days has passed, treat again.  Ticks can be a particular nuisance for their ability to crawl and hide.  This can make them difficult to control, but they CAN be controlled.  Retreat every 30 days until the ticks are under control.  Severe infestations have been known to take several months until they were fully controlled.

PREVENTION

Generally maintaining your pet’s topical treatments monthly, and performing maintenance treatments to the yard every 2-3 months will help dramatically.  Keeping foreign hosts (squirrels, possums, raccoons, etc.) out of the yard will help avoid bringing ticks in from outside the yard.  Thoroughly checking your animals before you allow them to come inside from the yard will greatly reduce your chances of an interior infestation.

RECOMMENDED PRODUCTS

Precor 2000™ – aerosol (indoor only)

Ultracide™ – aerosol (indoor only)

Conquer™ – concentrate (indoor/outdoor)

Permethrin SFR™ – concentrate (indoor/outdoor)

Demize EC™ – concentrate (indoor only)

Cyonara Lawn & Garden™ – ready to spray (outdoor only)

Bifen I/T™ – concentrate (outdoor only)

Suspend SC™ - concentrate (outdoor/spot treat indoor)

Frontline Plus™ - topical (pets only)

K9 Advantix™ - (dogs only)

Flea, Tick & Mange Dip™ - topical (dogs only)

GUARANTEE

These chemicals are some of the most effective insect control products available to the public and they are guaranteed to contain the chemicals stated on the label.  The effectiveness of the chemicals depends on the accuracy of application, sanitation, and extent of initial infestation.  These instructions are of a general and educational nature only.  For specific instructions on how to mix and apply insecticides, always consult the product label.  The above products are distributed by Solutions Stores, Inc.  For more information contact us at any one of our locations or online at: askapro@solutionsstores.com.