The first heat waves now hit before July, and nymph ticks
notice. Researchers tracking the western black-legged tick found that an
unusually warm spring shifts peak activity several weeks earlier, stretching
the danger season. Every added week means more chances to pick up Lyme disease
or the fast-growing red-meat allergy called alpha-gal syndrome. Northern
Virginia already reports heavier tick counts than last summer. The good news?
Your lawn can be the frontline barrier.
Tall, damp grass shelters questing nymphs. Weekly cuts that hold turf near
three inches lower humidity at soil level and expose ticks to sun and wind.
Bagged clippings deny them leaf-litter mulch, and professional crews hit that
schedule even when you’re busy.
Yard Tactic #2: Build a Buffer
A three-foot ribbon of gravel or wood chips around the lawn perimeter forces
mice, chipmunks, and deer—the main tick taxis—to cross a dry, abrasive zone
they dislike. Studies and CDC guidance show the buffer alone can drop yard tick
numbers by roughly one-third.
Prune and Protect
Limbing low branches and clearing brush piles let sunlight and air sweep
beneath shrubs, drying the soil where ticks hide. Finish each session with
light-colored socks over pant cuffs, a quick shower, and tweezers by the
mirror, and you’ve already slashed bite odds before summer even starts.
Read the full article to see pruning techniques, deer-proof
plant lists, timed cedar-oil sprays, and tips for treating work clothes.
Read the full article → https://medium.com/@mowcowva/tick-time-ticking-earlier-yard-strategies-to-dodge-rising-alpha-gal-lyme-cases-4d816715608e
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