05/19/2026
May Is Lyme Disease Awareness Month & TICK activity for 2026 is EXCEPTIONALLY HIGH!
If you’ve noticed more ticks this spring — on your pets, in your yard, on yourself after a walk — you’re not imagining it. Experts are calling 2026 one of the most significant tick seasons in recent history which means Lyme Disease Cases will increase as well.
WHERE ARE TICKS HIDING
Ticks are ambush predators. They don’t chase hosts — they climb to the tips of grass blades or low brush and wait, a behavior called questing. The environments they favor share a few common traits: moisture, shade, and proximity to wildlife.
High risk zones:
● Overgrown lawns and tall grass
● Wooded areas and tree lines along property edges
● Leaf piles or organic debris
● Shaded spots that retain moisture after rain
Ticks don’t require wilderness. A suburban backyard, a park trail, or a landscaped property border can all qualify if conditions are right.
WHAT YOU CAN DO RIGHT NOW
Manage your yard.
Ticks love tall grass and dense brush. Stay on top of mowing, clearing leaf piles, and trimming back overgrown vegetation.
Protect yourself outdoors.
Wear long sleeves and pants — and seal the gaps. Ticks are small enough to navigate into loose openings, so choose pants with a close ankle fit and wear tall socks. Tuck shirts into waistbands to eliminate entry points. Light-colored clothing won’t repel ticks, but it makes them much easier to spot before they reach skin.
Use an EPA-registered repellent.
DEET — the most extensively studied tick repellent, effective across all life stages
Picaridin — comparable efficacy to DEET with a lighter feel and lower odor
IR3535 — a synthetic amino acid-based repellent that’s been used in Europe for
decades; gentler on skin and effective against both ticks and mosquitoes
Oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE) — the plant-derived option with the strongest field study backing among natural alternatives
Do a tick check every time. After any outdoor activity, check your skin, clothing, and pets thoroughly. Pay close attention to the scalp, behind the ears, under the arms, behind the knees, and around the waist. Catching a tick within the first 36–48 hours significantly reduces the risk of disease transmission.
Don’t forget your pets. Dogs and cats are efficient tick transporters, bringing them indoors from every outdoor excursion. Keep pets on year-round veterinarian-recommended tick prevention and check them after time outside.
KNOW THE WARNING SIGNS
Most people never feel a tick bite. Many don’t develop the bullseye rash associated with Lyme disease — which is precisely why it gets missed.
Early Lyme disease symptoms often resemble the flu: fever, chills, fatigue, headache, stiff neck, and joint pain. If you’ve been in tick habitat and start feeling off, don’t wait. Early-stage Lyme responds well to treatment. Late-stage Lyme — involving neurological symptoms, heart irregularities, chronic joint pain, and cognitive difficulties — is significantly more complex to address.
Give us a call to schedule a treatment & help keep your family & pets safe.
R&D Pest Control
Serving Hill, Johnson, and McLennan Counties
rdpestcontroltx.com
254-262-5565
[email protected]
License # TCPL 961191
