Ticks
A tick isn’t an insect; it’s a member of the arachnida class and is a cousin to spiders, scorpions, and mites. Ticks will infest every class of terrestrial vertebrate, including mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians.Though there are many species of ticks throughout the world. four, in particular, are problems in North America. they are the American Dog Tick, the Lone Star Tick, the Blacklegged Tick (Deer Tick), and the Brown Dog Tick.
Ticks have four life stages: egg, six-legged larva, eight-legged nymph and adult. After the egg hatches, the tiny larva (sometimes called a “seed tick”) feeds on an appropriate host. The larva then develops (molts) into the larger nymph. The nymph feeds on a host and then molts into an even larger adult. Both male and female adults find and feed on a host, then the females lay eggs sometime after feeding.
Some of the products applied topically are advertised as tick repellent. Even though you use them, inspect your pet regularly. They do not appear to work as effectively as said in the advertisement.
To keep ticks out of your yard make sure your pet avoids sitting in grassy areas, or on wet woody surfaces, to reduce the chances of picking up ticks. In addition, you should check your pet often enough to find and remove any tick that is visible to you. Keep your yard well mowed and clear of woodpiles, leaves, and other debris to reduce the tick population. Also use the yard sprays frequently to avoid infestation of ticks.