Do Ticks Survive the Winter?

Although the winter in El Paso comes with its own unique bunch of pest problems, some of the creatures we deal with in the summer can brave the weather to cause even more trouble. Some fair-weather critters deal with the winter by scrambling to set up shop inside our insulated structures; others brave the elements and hope for the best. Ticks fall into the latter category, and they happen to be more successful than most people realize. Although they thrive in the summer, ticks have the means and resilience to have successful winters in many cases. Read on to learn about how they do it and what you can do to avoid them with our tick control experts at Pest Defense Solutions.

When is Tick Season in El Paso?

When we imagine tick season, many of us think of finding ticks on our dogs or our own legs after spending time outside in the summer. Tall grass and humid heat is a recipe for tick problems. However, if the humidity remains consistent and they can find a source of warmth, ticks will survive through the winter.

Harsh cold and a lack of potential hosts will do significant damage to a tick population, but these pests have a few survival strategies that can help them deal with the tougher months of the year. These are their responses to a frigid winter:

1. If ticks can find an oblivious host animal, they will latch onto them for a source of heat and nutrients that will last through the winter
2. When they are unable to find a host, ticks can hide in leaf litter for warmth and protection
3. Soft-shell ticks burrow underground during the winter to survive

How to Avoid Winter Ticks this Year

When temperatures drop below 45° consistently and the ground is wet or icy, take activity sees a significant decline. That said, even though tick problems are less likely to arise, these resilient pests can still cause problems for your family and your pets if you aren’t careful. We recommend you take our winter tick prevention advice to steer clear of these bugs:

• Get rid of yard waste regularly. Ticks are often found hiding in leaf piles, so it’s best to get rid of them quickly.
• Consistently check your pets. Dogs are some of ticks’ top targets, so be sure to check them for ticks whenever you get home from a walk, even in the winter, and especially if you walked through grass.
• Set up a service with professional tick exterminators. Experienced pros can conduct a barrier treatment to prevent tick activity across your entire property.

How Can Tick Exterminators Help Me?

Even though they have been labeled as a traditional summer pest, it’s clear that ticks can cause problems for people and pets all year round. If you want to protect your family from ticks in El Paso this winter, your best bet is to team up with your local tick exterminators. At Pest Defense Solutions, we train our tick control team to conduct environmentally-friendly, safe, and effective barrier treatments, as well as assess properties for vulnerabilities that could lead to further tick infestations. We can protect you from ticks in every season. Contact us today to get started with a free quote!