Description
Ticks come in several varieties with different sizes, colors, and markings with some species being very are hard to differentiate from others. Like all arachnids, the tick has 8 legs in its adult stage.
Biology
Ticks are blood feeders that drop off their host in between feedings meaning ticks do most of their traveling on their host. Different species have various needs but most prefer tall grass and decent moisture levels.
Females can lay up to 3,000 eggs but die soon afterward. Various species hatch at different rates from 30 to 135 days and maturity can take 2 months to two years. Ticks are amazingly resilient to starvation and can delay their growth stages for months to a year waiting for a blood feeding.
Control
Keeping grass cut is the first line of defense against ticks. Biological controls also include chickens who feed on ticks and controlling rodent populations which are common hosts for ticks.
The material application can be used along the perimeter of the property and on tick hot spots to eliminate current populations.