Blacklegged ticks
Also called deer ticks. Small and dark, they live in leaf litter and woods and can carry the bacteria that cause Lyme disease.
- Wooded edges and leaf litter
- Nymphs are as small as a poppy seed
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Ticks wait in leaf litter, tall grass and along wooded edges, then climb onto people and pets. Our licensed Loudoun County technicians treat the areas where ticks live and show you simple steps that keep them out of your yard.
Ticks feed on blood and can carry germs that cause illnesses such as Lyme disease. Northern Virginia has plenty of the shady, humid habitat they like, and white-tailed deer, which carry adult ticks, are common across Loudoun County.
Many Ashburn homes back onto wooded buffers, stream corridors, ponds and trails, and children and pets play right at the edge of that habitat. A yard that is mowed and treated, with a clear strip between the lawn and the woods, has far fewer ticks than one that is not. We combine targeted treatment with habitat changes you can make yourself.
Illustrations show typical colors and markings. Different ticks can carry different germs, so identifying them matters.
Also called deer ticks. Small and dark, they live in leaf litter and woods and can carry the bacteria that cause Lyme disease.
Reddish-brown ticks, with a white spot on the back of adult females. They are aggressive biters in spring and summer.
Larger brown ticks with pale markings that wait on grass and trails and often bite dogs and people.
A newer tick found in Virginia that can build large numbers on pets, livestock and wildlife.
We recommend a plan after we look at your yard, its distance from woods and how your family uses it.
A targeted treatment of the woods edge, shrubs, fences and shaded lawn areas where ticks wait for people and pets.
A treated band between wooded areas and the lawn, paired with a mulch or gravel strip, to keep ticks from moving in.
Scheduled visits through the warm months, so protection stays in place while ticks are most active.
Simple fixes such as mowing, removing leaf litter, moving woodpiles and playsets away from the tree line.
Bothered by biting insects too? See our mosquito control service.
Clear steps and a written quote, so you know what to expect from the first call to the last visit of the season.
Book a yard evaluationWe walk your yard, find wooded edges, leaf litter and shaded spots, and note where kids and pets play.
We recommend mowing, clearing leaf litter and moving woodpiles and playsets away from the tree line.
We apply a targeted treatment to the woods edge, shrubs and shaded lawn areas where ticks wait.
We return on a schedule through the season and adjust the plan if tick activity changes.
We work across Loudoun County every day, so we know how the landscape and neighborhoods here affect ticks.
Walking and running the W&OD Trail, the trails around Beaverdam Reservoir and nearby parks like Claude Moore Park and Algonkian Regional Park in Sterling often means brushing against grass and brush. Stay on the trail center and check yourself afterward.
Homes backing onto trees or creeks such as Broad Run in Broadlands, Belmont and Brambleton share a boundary with tick habitat. A treated strip between lawn and woods helps most.
White-tailed deer pass through many neighborhoods and carry adult ticks into yards. Deer-resistant landscaping and tidy edges help.
Dogs pick up ticks on neighborhood trails and in tall grass. Check pets after walks, especially behind ears, around the neck and between toes, and ask your vet about prevention.
Backyard playsets, youth sports fields and community common areas near the tree line see lots of children. We treat HOA common areas and recommend where to place play equipment.
Weekend trips to Sky Meadows State Park or Shenandoah National Park mean more exposure. Check your family and gear when you get home so ticks do not ride into your yard.
Ticks become active as it warms. Start yard clean-up and treatment now.
Small nymphs are common. They are hard to see, so do daily tick checks.
Adult ticks are active, especially around leaf litter. Keep leaves raked.
Some ticks stay active on mild days. Keep checking pets and gear.
Simple habits that lower your risk, with or without a yard treatment.
Stay calm and remove it promptly. This is general guidance, not medical advice.
Use fine-tipped tweezers to grab the tick close to the skin and pull straight up with steady pressure.
Wash the bite and your hands with soap and water or rubbing alcohol.
Write down when and where it happened, and save the tick in a sealed bag if you can.
Contact a doctor if you develop a rash, fever, or aches in the following weeks.
We plan around your yard, your wooded edges and the trails your family uses.
You know the price and the schedule before work begins.
We tell you how long to keep kids and pets off treated areas, and offer pet-conscious options.
Call and ask about a yard evaluation and same-week availability.
Monday to Saturday, 7 am to 7 pm
The ticks we see most are blacklegged ticks, also called deer ticks, lone star ticks and American dog ticks. The Asian longhorned tick has also been found in Virginia. Different ticks can carry different germs, so it helps to know which one you have.
Ticks can be active from early spring through fall, and some stay active on mild winter days. Young blacklegged ticks are small and hard to spot, and they are most active in late spring and summer.
A yard treatment reduces the number of ticks in the areas where your family spends time, especially along the edges of woods, fences and play areas. It works best combined with yard clean-up, tick checks and pet tick prevention. No treatment removes every tick, so we also share prevention tips.
We follow product label directions and tell you how long to keep children and pets off treated areas until they dry. Pet-conscious options are available for most yards.
Talk to your veterinarian about a tick preventive that suits your cat or dog, and check pets after time outdoors. Treating the yard cuts the number of ticks that reach them, but it does not replace pet prevention.
Use fine-tipped tweezers to grab the tick close to the skin and pull straight up with steady pressure, then clean the area. Note the date, and contact a doctor if you develop a rash, fever or other symptoms in the following weeks.
It depends on your property and how close it is to woods. Many homes follow a seasonal schedule through the warm months. We recommend a plan after looking at your yard and explain it in writing.
Tell us about your yard and we will call you back the same business day. Prefer to talk now? Call us.
(703) 555-0142