4 Types of Ticks in New England: How to Identify & Prevent Ticks in Your Yard

Ticks are a common problem here in New England as a result of our climate and wildlife. Many ticks live on animals before finding their way to human and family pet hosts. Because ticks can carry and transmit deadly diseases, it’s a problem that needs to be carefully addressed.

In this article, we’ll dive into some of the information you should know about these pests. We’ll cover things like the types of ticks in New England, how to identify them, and how to prevent ticks in your yard in the first place.

With a better understanding of common ticks in New England, you’ll be able to take the best plan of action.

Types of Ticks in New England

There are many different types of ticks in our region. However, four of the most common ticks in New England include:

1. Blacklegged Ticks (more commonly known as “deer ticks”)
2. Brown Dog Ticks
3. American Dog Ticks (aka “wood ticks”)
4. Lone Star Ticks

Let’s look at each of these.

Blacklegged Ticks

Blacklegged ticks, aka “deer ticks,” can transmit Lyme disease as well as other infections. All life stages of deer ticks can bite humans but it’s the nymphs and the adult females that do so most often.

Brown Dog Ticks

Brown Dog Ticks are reddish-brown ticks that are commonly found on domestic dogs (hence their name). This type of tick is less likely to bite a human, however, if it cannot find a canine host, it might make an exception. This tick is definitely more of a threat to your furry, four-legged companions.

American Dog Ticks

This is the largest common tick. These ticks are also sometimes called “wood ticks,” because they’re commonly found in the woods. This is another tick that prefers canine hosts and they are a threat to the family pet. American Dog Ticks can cause Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.

Lone Star Ticks

Lone Star Ticks are another type of ticks in New England. These ticks do not cause Lyme disease, however, a bite can still cause medical problems including STARI (southern tick-associated rash illness). The Lone Star Tick is also associated with “alpha-gal syndrome,” which is a food allergy to red meat that can occur after a bite from this tick.

How to Identify Ticks

Identifying ticks in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Maine by species is not a simple feat as many of these common ticks we’re talking about here share many commonalities. 

Ticks are also very small and hard to see. That’s one of the reasons why they are often successful at biting people without them even realizing it. You might not find a tick until it has already bitten you or a family member (including pets).

This is one of the key reasons why prevention is so important. The goal should be keeping ticks out of your yard in the first place.

How to Prevent Ticks in Your Yard

There are a few ways that you can aim to keep ticks out of your yard.

• For one, you can make your yard less habitable by maintaining a neat and tidy landscape. Ticks love to hide and are more likely to take up residence if you have a lot of overgrown landscaping and tall grasses. Keeping shrubs trimmed and the lawn regularly mowed can help.
  
  
• You’ll also want to cover your wood piles since rodents like mice and rats frequently hang out in the crevices formed by stacked wood. Since rodents are one of the animals likely carrying ticks into your yard in the first place, you want to make an effort to keep them away.
  
  
• In general, you’ll also want to pay attention to wooded areas around your property as these are the most likely places for ticks to hang out. The woods are a natural habitat for ticks but that’s not to say they won’t leave and take up residence somewhere new. If you live somewhere that borders the woods, you can take extra steps to create barriers between the woods and your property. A three-foot wide barrier of mulch can make it more difficult for pests like ticks to travel from the woods into your yard. 
   
• Finally, investing in yard tick control services is also a critical step. Professionally-applied tick control products are a great way to keep ticks out of your yard.

Choosing Yard Tick Control in Southern New Hampshire, Maine, and Northeastern Massachusetts

We know that people are not able to get outdoors and enjoy their properties if they’re constantly being bothered by unwanted pests. That’s why investing in professional tick control can make a huge difference when it comes to enjoying your New England property more fully.

At Seacoast Turf Care, serving Southern NH, Southern ME, and Northeastern MA, we use high-quality, pollinator-safe tick treatments that can help drastically reduce these pests. That means you’ll be able to spend more time outside without having to worry.

Want to stop worrying about the danger of ticks on your NH, ME, or MA property? Get tick control pricing today.

Image Source: Blacklegged tick, Brown dog tick, American dog tick, lone star tick