Did you know some ticks are blind?

Yes, you heard that right. The deer or black-legged tick (Ixodes scapularis) does not have eyes. And they can’t crawl particularly fast, fly, or jump! So, how do these little pests find you? By “questing”, they perch and wait on the tips of tall leaves or grass and wave their front legs in the air in search of a blood meal.

As they’re waving, they have a highly sensitive organ called “Haller’s organ“ on their front legs that can detect the presence of an upcoming host. This organ can sense carbon dioxide from your breath, ammonia and pheromones from your sweat, vibrations from your footsteps, and even humidity, warmth, and infrared light. 

A tick questing for a host

So remember that although many of us believe tick bites happen when we’re camping or hiking, most people pick up deer ticks close to their house. “We estimate three-fourths of people pick up the ticks in activities in and around the home,” with children’s play and gardening being some of the riskiest activities, according to Dr. Kirby C. Stafford, emeritus scientist of the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station. Deer ticks are the most abundant tick in Vermont and are responsible for over 99% of tick-borne disease.

It’s important to create a tick-safe zone to reduce your risk of Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses. Trucare takes an integrated pest management (IPM) approach.

Our general recommendations for IPM include:

• Removing leaf litter

• Keep your lawn mowed short

• Providing sunlight as much as possible on open areas

• Add Trucare’s natural treatment service

Trucare is more than happy to give you a tailored IPM plan for your property and environment.