How to get rid of ticks in your yard

Key points

• Keeping deer out of your yard is key to preventing a tick infestation.
• Make your lawn less hospitable to ticks by mowing your yard grass.
• Experts don’t recommend using acaricides as a tick repellent because the chemicals can impact native wildlife.

Ticks are the worst kind of pest. Tiny and hard to spot on bare skin, they look like freckles or moles to the naked eye but latch onto hosts, sucking their blood and possibly spreading diseases such as Rocky Mountain spotted fever, rabbit fever (tularemia) and Lyme disease.

In 2022, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported approximately 63,000 cases of Lyme disease.

These blood-feeding arachnids spring into action after winter’s last frost. Tick populations are a threat to human and pet health alike, and the removal process is icky and complicated for humans and animal companions (as anyone with an unwilling, wiggly pet can attest). 

Prevention is the best defense by removing the environment ticks thrive in. “Ticks prefer cool, moist areas, so trimming large bushes, trees, and shrubs allows for more direct sunlight in your yard,” said Jim McHale, CEO and President of JP McHale Pest Management in Buchanan, New York, “Make it a less hospitable environment for ticks and other pests.”

What attracts ticks to your yard?

Your yard itself doesn’t attract ticks. It’s the animals that visit that invite ticks onto your property. “There’s nothing special about a yard, except that wildlife may live there or move through the area, dropping ticks along the way. Ticks are attracted to wildlife and rely on wildlife for transportation,” said Dr. Jody Gangloff-Kaufmann, Ph.D. associate director of the Community and Urban Integrated Pest Management Program at Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences in Babylon, New York. 

These animals frequently carry (and drop) ticks in your yard:

• Deer: It’s no coincidence that black-legged ticks are also called deer ticks. The deer often frequent yards to snack on grasses and bushes.
• Mice: These rodents are attracted to food in and around your home.
• Raccoons: Like mice, raccoons also look for an easy meal and scavenge around patios.

How do you get rid of ticks in your yard?

While ticks are unwelcome, you can implement tick control methods in your yards. But don’t reach for pesticides and acaricides just yet. Our experts said pesticides should be the last resort as they harm beneficial pollinator insects (honeybees and butterflies). 

These are the most common ways to get rid of ticks in your yard. 

Remove leaf litter

Leaf litter may be an important ecological component for a healthy backyard environment, but it also serves as a hostel for ticks. That’s because ticks like the moisture found in leaf litter. “Ticks seek areas where they are protected from dehydration,” Gangloff-Kaufmann said. 

Even if your yard doesn’t have piles of leaves, you should keep the yard dry. Prune shrubs up to allow the soil and mulch beneath to dry. 

Trim grass and shrubs

Mow grass, especially along woodlot edges to deter black-legged ticks that like to piggyback on deer, Gangloff-Kaufmann added. Ticks crawl to the tallest vantage point to reach new hosts — these mites then rest on the blades with extended front legs. 

“Ticks have a special organ on their front pair of legs called Haller’s organ that is very sensitive to sensory input like heat, vibrations and certain chemicals — carbon dioxide — that signal living organisms,” said Chad L. Cross, Ph.D., co-director of the Parasitology and Vector Biology Lab at the University of Nevada. When a “good food source” passes by, ticks grab on or drop onto the fur of an animal or clothing of a person and then crawl onto the surface of the skin to attach and feed. Trimmed grass prevents ticks from brushing against clothing or clinging to pet fur.  

Natural repellents

Some natural products can also repel adult ticks. “These include eucalyptus and citrus peel oils,” said Cross. However, they only last briefly as the oils break down with moisture and UV light. 

Adding tick-deterring plants such as rosemary, lavender and mint to your landscape may be worthwhile, but ticks will likely avoid these and move to another spot. A better solution is to apply cedar oil spray if you want to take an extra precaution when sitting outdoors.

Alternatively, invite tick predators to your backyard. “Hang bird feeders,” said Sonya Query, Marketing Director at Love, Plants, a maker of organic plant food in Boulder, Colorado, who encourages people to turn wildlife into tick-eating allies. “Birds love a good tick snack and can help keep populations under control.” 

Acaricides and pesticides

Our experts do not recommend acaricides, a pesticide used to kill ticks and mites. 

“There are pesticides that can be broadcast out into the yard, but we don’t recommend that strategy because it contributes to environmental harm and kills beneficial organisms,” said Gangloff-Kaufmann. “Acaricides will kill bees, butterflies and all the harmless and beneficial arthropods.” Acaricides (usually labeled for a broad spectrum of arthropods) are not specific to ticks.  

Acaricides can contain DDT and permethrin. You probably don’t want your kids or pets playing in pesticide-treated areas, either. 

Gangloff-Kaufmann warned that if wild animals visit your yard, the effectiveness of pesticides against ticks will be minimal because they don’t last long due to natural degradation and the influx of new ticks with wildlife.

Should you decide to use pesticides, read the label because each has its own application method and may have restrictions, such as don’t apply it near bodies of water or on flowering plants.

Acaricides can be overused and misunderstood by the lay public, Cross added. “There are good options on the shelf, but if you do not know what is safe, it is important to ask a professional.” Contact a local agricultural extension office or a professional pest control expert.

How do you prevent ticks in your yard?

“Pesticides should never be the first line of defense,” Query said. The best way to avoid ticks is through prevention. There are a few ways to prevent ticks in your yard.

Deter deer

Keep the deer out. Deer carry black-legged, lone star and Asian longhorned ticks, among others. “Black-legged ticks are the only species in the Northeast that carry Borrelia burgdorferi – the organism that causes Lyme disease,” Gangloff-Kaufmann said. “Out west, the Western black-legged tick is the primary vector of Lyme Borrelia.”

 “If your yard borders a wooded area with no fence, you will probably have ticks in your yard,” Gangloff-Kaufmann said. Add a fence to deter deer from crossing over into your yard. But make sure it is high.

White-tailed deer, for one, can hop over a 7-foot fence without a problem. A fence higher than 7 feet will also deter your pets from leaving your property and returning with unwelcome guests on their backs, Cross noted. This will help reduce human exposure in and around the home.

Keep mice out

Many wildlife species, not just deer, carry ticks. “Mice carry the youngest of [black-legged] ticks — tick larvae and nymphs,” said Gangloff-Kaufmann, noting adult black-legged ticks prefer larger animals such as deer.

You can use “tick tubes” to eliminate mice from your yard. “These are cardboard tubes filled with pesticide-treated cotton that mice collect to use as nesting material,” Gangloff-Kaufmann said. 

However, this method can take time since not every mouse might be actively breeding and, thus, looking to build nests. Moreover, this method mainly works for black-legged ticks. 

The approach is less effective for American dog ticks and lone star ticks — both known to carry bacteria that cause Rocky Mountain spotted fever and tularemia — tick species that use other hosts as well as mice, Gangloff-Kaufmann added.

Create other barriers

You don’t have to use just fences between your lawn and wooded areas. “Gravel pathways, wood chips, or small rock walls help create tick-free zones in your yard,” Query said. 

Get creative with your barriers. “You can place a border around your property,” Cross added. “Three to 4 feet of stone or mulch will often prevent ticks from crossing and getting into your lawn. Ticks do not like to traverse areas where they are exposed, that do not contain plants and that get hot in the sun.”

What’s next?

Landscaping and lawn care maintenance is a good idea for complete tick control, especially during the warm spring and summer seasons when ticks are active. “Ticks thrive in tall grass, areas with moisture and shade,” McHale said.

Call a lawn care service to set up a routing mowing schedule and schedule spring and fall cleanup. Professional landscapers, for example, will help create natural and man-made barriers between your yard and wooded areas. This will help keep deer and other mammals out of your yard. 

If you do yard work, protect yourself from ticks by wearing layers of clothing, particularly if your property has a wooded area. Long pants and sleeves, tucked-in shirts and closed-toe shoes make it harder for ticks to reach your skin, McHale said. 

Once you’re done with outside chores, toss clothes in the dryer set to high heat for at least 10 minutes. “This will greatly reduce the tick’s chance of survival,” McHale added.

Make it a habit to do a tick check. Remove ticks as soon as possible. “Powassan virus, an emerging problem, can be transmitted by the bite of a black-legged tick as soon as 15 minutes after the tick inserts its mouthparts for a blood meal,” Gangloff-Kaufmann said.