ROCKY HILL, Conn. — It's that time of the year to take extra care while going outside and walking on trails.
Ticks are active right now and they can transmit a number of diseases including Lyme Disease. Local lawn crews are busy protecting people's yards across the state.
"We’re seeing a tremendous amount of activity, every day people are calling in heavy finding ticks everywhere," said John Vollmer, owner of Tick Ranger in Rocky Hill.
Crews at Tick Ranger leave bright and early every day, filling their trucks up with cedar oil spray to combat the rise in ticks across the state.
"They’re going to treat from the foundation of the house including all the shrubs and plantings around the house, all the lawn area and all the way out to the perimeter and then 25 feet in," said Vollmer.
"The spray is safe for kids, it is safe for pets it’s also safe around the vegetable gardens and everything like that," said Kyle Owen, a lead technician.
Vollmer and Owen said this is the time of year ticks become really prominent and tick activity will stay high until the dog days of summer. It will peak again in early fall.
With ticks comes the concern for diseases including Lyme Disease, so it's important to check regularly to make sure ticks haven't attached to any bodies or pets.
There are ways to help prevent ticks and a lot of it comes down to proper maintenance.
"You’re coming out of the winter, there are sticks all over the place. Just go around the yard and pick up leaves and debris, just think 'where would a mouse go where is he going to hide, where would he make a nest?" said Vollmer.
"Keep your grass mowed, keep your hedges trimmed and keep your wood line maintained. Also instead of using dirt for your landscaping maybe put crushed stone instead," said Owen.
Ticks can be sent into local health departments and they’ll send it to the state for testing to make sure it doesn’t carry any diseases or viruses.
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Lindsey Kane is a reporter at FOX61 News. She can be reached at Lkane@fox61.com. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
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