With Spring approaching fast we all look forward to more time spent outdoors; time spent with family, hiking, biking, camping and generally just taking in the sunshine and fresh air that we so sorely miss during the long winter. But its important to remember that we aren’t the only creatures out there enjoying that hiking trail or remote camping spot. Ticks often lie in wait among the grasses and brush in these areas for a host that they can begin to feed upon. They are most active in Massachusetts from April through September. Often mistaken as insects, ticks are actually arachnids like spiders, scorpions and mites. This is important to know for use in identifying ticks. They have 4 sets of legs and no antennae. Ticks are known to cause Lyme disease, Babesiosis and the newly discovered Ehrlichiosis/Anaplasmosis. Ticks can actually spread more than one these diseases to its host at the same time.

Lyme Disease is identified generally by its bull’s-eye shaped rash, muscle and joint aches, fever, headaches and fatigue. Babesiosis symptoms can include the same seen with Lyme Disease but often begins with high fever and chills. As it progresses, those infected also could develop heavy sweating and vomiting. Though some people may have very few and even no appearance of symptoms, those with weak immune systems and the elderly may experience life-threatening complications like liver problems and kidney failure.

Obviously a tick bite, and the diseases they transmit, are not something any of us want to experience. The best way to prevent exposure to these diseases is to limit your exposure to the tick itself. Protect your home by cutting back grasses and shrubs and regularly and properly apply pesticides. We specialize in tick control in Andover, and the surrounding areas, and can help to keep your family safe with the routine application of the approved and appropriate pesticides. We will also consult with you about further measures for keeping your outside areas tick-free. Call us now for a full consultation at 978-363-2222.

If you missed it in the news recently singer Debbie Gibson  from the 80′s was recently performing and the audience was complaining how skinny she looked. Brave Debbie  came out saying she has Lyme Disease not an eating disorder. She wrote a lengthy blog recently  about her tick borne disease  ”When Life Hands You A Lemon Or Lyme”. She goes on to say how long she had Lyme Disease that was not diagnosed. It is not always easy to diagnose sometimes the symptoms are  flu like, not everyone will notice a red bulls eye rash.

Debbie went on to say  first I noticed I had food sensitivities to starch, caffeine and sugar they would  trigger my body to sickness and weight loss. The more weight I loss the more fatigue I felt. Seeing her regular medical Doctor wasn’t an option due to her hectic schedule on the road.

Symptoms can become more and more severe and serious as the length of time grows from being bit by a infected tick and before Lyme Disease is diagnosed. It was Debbie’s boyfriend that noticed she was confused and mixed her words a lot. One day she hit the end of her rope and decided to work on her health. Never in her wildest dreams could she believe she was infected with Lyme Disease. More then a year has passed with constant antibiotics and vitamin drips and Debbie is starting to feel much better.

Lyme Disease can attack anyone of us, it doesn’t matter if your famous or not, rich or poor. For a very reasonable price you can start enjoying the benefits of tick and mosquito control free yards today!

Tick Control in West Newbury, MA is vital for the health and well being of your family and pets. Call Mosquito Enemy today @ (978) 363-2222 for your  barrier spray control of ticks and mosquitoes.

2014 tick season is almost upon us.  Here is a list of tick control prevention in Andover and surrounding towns that you can start doing to help reduce tick populations in your yard.

• Remove leaf litter in your yard.
• Clear all tall grass and brush
• Maintain a 3 foot wide barrier zone with wood chips, stone or gravel where your lawn meets allwooded areas.
• Keep your lawn mowed frequently.
• Remove all old furniture and trash from your yard that allows the ticks a great place to hang out.
• Install and or keep fencing in repair that helps to keep deer, stray dogs and other wild life from entering your yard.
• Keep playgrounds decks and patios away from wooded edges.
• Have Mosquito Enemy inspect and treat your yard for ticks with their Licensed and Insured Technicians. Using  the safest EPA approved products for your family and yourself.

My Grandmother used to subject my to a daily routine during the summer that used to scare me to no end. Every day, after playing for endless hours in the fields surrounding the creek behind her home, she would perform her nightly “tick check” on me and my siblings. Though her intentions came from a place of love and care, the result left me terrified of those fields that I once loved. Once in a while she did find a creepy little hitchhiker on one of us and promptly removed it, but the wildly fantastic ideas of what those ticks could actually do to me created more lasting effects than that of the tick itself.

It seems that the myths regarding ticks are often passed down from generation to generation and are just as prevalent today as they were decades ago. Proper identification and knowledge of ticks is paramount for proper tick control in Andover and elsewhere. We’ve listed a few of these myths, and the truth behind them, in order to help us move past the misinformation regarding ticks.

1. Myth: Ticks fall from trees. Actually, ticks live in the ground and crawl up your body and your pet’s body.
2. Myth: If a tick bites me, I will contract a serious disease. Actually, ticks need to be attached to a host for more than 24 hours to be able to transmit disease.
3. Myth: You’ll know if you’ve been bitten. Actually, (as Grandma so lovingly taught us) tick bites are often painless.
4. Myth: You can remove a tick with nail polish remover and a lit match. Actually, you’ll remove that critter with better results using tweezers or a tool that is designed for tick removal.

At Mosquito Enemy, we specialize in tick control in Andover, allowing you to fully enjoy the outdoor areas surrounding your home without the fear of ticks and the diseases they carry.