Eco-Smart Tick Control – Exterior Perimeter and Recreational Spaces – Initial Visit

VIDEO: How to get rid of ticks. Ticks, Mice and Lyme Disease - What is the Relationship?

The price of each treatment is $105. For your convenience, your future treatments will scheduled automatically by our office and you will be billed via email after each future treatment. You can then pay online or mail us a check.

The service consists of a granular product applied around landscape transition zones and tick tubes. This service treats approximately 15,000 square feet. We strongly encourage you to watch the video on our website which explains in detail how this system works before ordering this service.

Once you purchase this service our office will contact you within the next business day to let you know of your service date.  Because this service is on the exterior of the home no one needs to be there unless you would like to be.  If you have any questions, or need immediate service please give us a call 800-990-0335

NOTE: Any discounts from coupons are a one-time discount.  The discount shall only be applied to the service(s) in this shopping cart and NOT toward any future or recurring services.

Understanding The Role of White-Footed Mice in Lyme Disease Transmission and the Impact of Rodent Control on Tick Populations

Introduction

Lyme disease is a growing health concern, particularly in our area where black-legged ticks (Ixodes scapularis) are prevalent. The disease is caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi, which is primarily transmitted to humans and other animals through tick bites. Ticks acquire B. burgdorferi by feeding on infected white-footed mice (Peromyscus leucopus), which serve reservoirs for the bacteria.

Understanding the relationship between these rodents and tick populations is essential to formulating effective strategies for Lyme disease prevention. Here we’ll explore the transmission dynamics between white-footed mice and black-legged ticks and discuss how managing rodent populations can reduce the risk of Lyme disease.

How Black-Legged Tick Nymphs Acquire Borrelia Burgdorferi

Black-legged ticks are born free of B. burgdorferi and must acquire the bacteria through feeding. Nymphal ticks, which are the primary carriers of Lyme disease due to their size and feeding habits, often acquire the bacteria when they feed on small mammals such as white-footed mice. The white-footed mouse is one of the most competent reservoirs for B. burgdorferi, meaning it is highly effective at maintaining and spreading the bacteria. When a nymphal tick feeds on an infected mouse, it ingests the bacteria, which then persist in the tick’s midgut and can be transmitted during its next blood meal, potentially to humans and other animals.

The Importance of White-Footed Mice in the Lyme Disease Cycle

White-footed mice play a crucial role in the Lyme disease cycle because they are highly abundant in tick-prone areas and maintain a high prevalence of B. burgdorferi. Unlike other animals, mice have prolonged interactions with ticks due to their small home ranges and high reproductive rates, which keep them available as hosts year-round. Additionally, mice are poor groomers, meaning that ticks are less likely to be removed before completing a blood meal. This close relationship between mice and ticks makes white-footed mice essential for maintaining B. burgdorferi in the environment.

The Impact of Rodent Control on Tick Populations

By reducing white-footed mouse populations, it is possible to disrupt the Lyme disease transmission cycle. During winter, white-footed mice seek shelter in warmer areas such as residential yards, increasing the likelihood that ticks will find suitable hosts close to human dwellings. Removing or controlling rodent populations around the home during the winter can help reduce the number of infected nymphal ticks in the following spring. Without a suitable host to feed on, ticks are less likely to survive, effectively reducing the risk of Lyme disease exposure in human environments.

Best Practices for Rodent Control to Reduce Tick Populations

To minimize rodent populations, homeowners can take several practical steps:

1. Seal Entry Points: Close off gaps in foundations, doors, and windows to prevent rodents from entering homes and garages.
2. Eliminate Food Sources: Store food in rodent-proof containers and avoid leaving pet food or birdseed outside.
3. Clean Up Yard Debris: Remove leaf litter, wood piles, and other debris where rodents may seek shelter.
4. Population Control: subscribe to Planet Friendly Pest Control’s exterior rodent control program.

By implementing these control measures, homeowners can decrease the likelihood that ticks will be carried into their yards by white-footed mice and reduce the potential for Lyme disease transmission in the spring.

FAQs

Q: Why is the white-footed mouse so important in Lyme disease transmission?

A: White-footed mice are efficient carriers of B. burgdorferi, which causes Lyme disease. Their abundance, small home ranges, and high reproductive rates make them a consistent host for black-legged ticks, allowing ticks to effectively acquire and spread the bacteria.

Q: How can rodent control reduce the risk of Lyme disease?

A: Reducing the white-footed mouse population limits the number of infected nymphal ticks in residential areas. Without mice to feed on, fewer ticks survive, and thus the risk of Lyme disease transmission decreases.

Q: What is the most effective way to prevent rodent infestations?

A: Sealing entry points, eliminating food sources, cleaning up yard debris combined with a professional population control plan are essential strategies for preventing rodent infestations around the home.

Q: Are there specific times of the year when rodent control is most effective?

A: Winter is an ideal time for rodent control since white-footed mice seek shelter in warmer areas, including human dwellings. Controlling rodents during this season helps reduce tick populations in the spring.