How to Kill Ticks in a Yard

Overview

While insecticides will kill the majority of ticks in a yard, ticks that are hiding in crevices or already feeding on pets will survive. Repeated treatments significantly reduce the number of nymph and adult ticks if the chemicals are applied correctly. Managing the landscape to create tick-free zones for work and play will also provide protection for your family without overusing poisons. A good control program also includes treatment for pets and wild animal populations.

Step 1

Mow the yard. Keep the grass cut short to deprive ticks of their prime habitat. Regular mowing shifts both temperature and humidity out of the range ticks prefer, causing them to migrate to more hospitable turf.

Step 2

Cut tall weeds at the edges of the yard and along building foundations with a line trimmer. Ticks often climb to the tops of weeds and bushes in search of food.

Step 3

Scatter tick-killing insecticide granules at the edges of the yard. Solid particles of wide-spectrum insecticides like carbaryl, permethrin or chlorpyrifos work down into the debris layers where ticks hide and lay eggs after feeding.

Step 4

Spray liquid insecticide along the edges of sidewalks, flagstones and foundations. Ticks hide in any small crevices, finding cover in cracks in concrete or behind the slats of wooden fences. Spray in these areas thoroughly to reach ticks that are out of the reach of granule poisons.

Step 5

Repeat applications every four weeks until the infestation is controlled. Apply poisons at least twice to eliminate the next generation of hatching ticks.