Independent guides — we are not an exterminator. If someone has trouble breathing after a sting, call 911. Safety basics

Spiders & Crawlers · Pest guide

Ticks control

Yard control, tick checks and safe removal to cut the risk of Lyme disease.

Start here: How to Get Rid of Ticks in the Yard (2026 Guide) When to call a pro

Ticks at a glance

Scientific name
Family Ixodidae (hard ticks)
Size
1/32 to 1/4 inch (1–6 mm) unfed
Appearance
Flat, oval, eight legs (adults); swell greatly after feeding
Where found
Tall grass, leaf litter, wooded edges; on pets and people
  • Health riskHigh
  • Property damageLow
  • Do it yourself?Usually DIY
When ticks are active Peak: Apr–Oct
  1. Jan Low
  2. Feb Low
  3. Mar Active
  4. Apr Peak
  5. May Peak
  6. Jun Peak
  7. Jul Active
  8. Aug Active
  9. Sep Active (this month)
  10. Oct Peak
  11. Nov Active
  12. Dec Low

Low Active Peak This month

Signs to look for

  • Ticks found on pets or during body checks
  • Ticks on clothing after yard work

Call a professional when

  • A rash, fever or aches in the weeks after a tick bite (see a doctor)
  • Heavy tick pressure near a wooded yard edge
How to choose a pest control company

Safety first

Remove a tick with fine-tipped tweezers close to the skin and pull straight up. Do not use heat or petroleum jelly.

Ticks: removal guides

1 guide

Step-by-step plans to get rid of a pest, from DIY methods to professional treatment.

Female tick feeding, magnified illustration

Ticks · Removal

How to Get Rid of Ticks in the Yard (2026 Guide)

· 5 min read

Keep ticks out

  1. Keep grass short and remove leaf litter
  2. Put a wood-chip border between lawn and woods
  3. Use EPA-registered repellents on skin and permethrin on clothing
  4. Check yourself, children and pets daily in tick season

Often confused or found together

All spiders & crawlers
Fleas Treat the pet, the home and the yard together, or the cycle starts again. Mites Dust mites indoors and spider mites on plants: allergy relief and plant care. Spiders Mostly harmless and useful, but brown recluses and black widows need care.
Photo credits

Thank you to Courtesy of NIAID Ryan Kissinger, Michael Wunderli, Gilles San Martin from Namur, Belgium and Ryan Hodnett for sharing these beautiful photographs and helping bring this guide to life.

Wikimedia Commons · Public domain · CC BY 2.0 · CC BY-SA 2.0 · CC BY-SA 4.0