Immediate threat! Need advice on Tick spray

[ctfjr]

I've been working on the fenced in acre for the dogs in the woods - really opening it up by removing small trees / bushes and large rocks. Our two dogs seem to like it now as they spend a lot more time there digging for chipmunks and mice.

They are also bringing back ticks into the house. Yesterday I had to bring one of them in the shower and removed about 20 that were crawling over him. They are the tiny black ones. The creepy ones. They have repellent on them and we haven't found a tick attached to them. BUT they usually end up sleeping in our bed. . .

What have you found to be a safe and effective spray for killing these pests?

 

[DaveFromMi]

Do the dogs have flea and tick collars?
My Dad dusted the dogs with Sevin dust. It worked, but Sevin probably wouldn't endorse that.

 

[B737]

I battled with this after moving into my wooded property that was totally unmaintained for 30+ years. Compounding the issue is my acreage being surrounded by dozens of acres of neighboring wooded properties. We couldn't step 3 feet out the door without picking up ticks and our double-coated rough collie would carry many of them, and get bit often. Because of the tick infestation in New Jersey, I don't let the dog into the woods or unmaintained areas, it's unfortunate. I keep a relatively small fenced in area behind the house that is for him to run and play in that I stay on top of.

This was my layered approach; First step unfortunately was flea and tick treatment for the dog. 2) I keep the woods line back at least 10-20 feet (or more) from places for people / pets and from the fence line. 3) Clear the all leaves. Clearing all the leaves was the most dramatic improvement. Once the leaf bed was gone, there were much less bugs, and especially ticks. Like no bugs, no more ticks. Last is perimeter treatment with Talstar-P during peak tick months. Talstar-P at 1-2oz per gallon is highly effective. I have found it lasts for around 4-6 weeks, and will vary depending on rain.

Whenever I am in the woods in unmanaged areas, I always treat all my clothing with Sawyer Permethrin the night before.

We take lymes seriously here, if I get it, I'm out of a job for months. It really sucks this has gotten so out of control in the Northeast. I wonder if other parts of the country battle the same issue. Sorry for the wall of text....

 

[D2Cat]

Get a flock of birds, chickens, ducks, guineas. They'll eliminate the pest and others also.

 

[ctfjr]

We do put tick repellant on the dogs. It does keep them from getting bit. I can't even remember the last time we had to remove an embedded tick.
I don't know if it was my mucking around in the woods or that they are now actively digging but we can't have them bringing the ticks in the house. I was hoping there is some really effective insecticide that would finish them off.

B737 Old Lyme is only about 40mi from here

 

[ctfjr]

Get a flock of birds, chickens, ducks, guineas. They'll eliminate the pest and others also.

That's a no go with the wife. I've been trying to get her to agree to chickens with no luck. However we do have a resident opossum that is living in one of the abandoned fox dens. I understand that they are tick eating machines.

 

[B737]

TalStar-P is the real deal, and will eliminate the threat, i just try to use it sparingly.

also if you find your current flea and tick control isnt effective, try another brand. I used to use Vectra 3D on one collie, and then found it wasnt effective on another. Switched to Advantix II which has been effective. I hate using chemicals on the dog, but it beats the alternative.

 

[Fordtech86]

Bifen I/T Insecticide

Bifen I/T: Bifenthrin 7.9% Please call 1-800-476-3368 for better bulk pricing. Bifen I/T with Bifenthrin 7.9% is a flowable multi-purpose insecticide. Bifen IT has a long residual control with a product label of over 75 insects. This broad label on Bifen IT insecticide includes turf and...

store.doyourownpestcontrol.com

I use this (not for ticks specifically) and its pretty effective

 

[Poohbear]

Get a flock of birds, chickens, ducks, guineas. They'll eliminate the pest and others also.

A small batch of Fire Ants clears the tick population pretty quick

 

[Thunder chicken]

We give our dogs a pill, called Bravecto. It’s supposed to work against ticks for up to 3 months. it likely doesn’t repel them off so they could still bring them in. We recently travelled and had a few very small ticks on them but not biting. Apparently they were the nymph/young stage of tick (id never seen them so small) I treat all my work cloths with permethrin. It’s hard to get up here in Canada.

 

[ctfjr]

Thanks for all the replies. Amazon just dropped this off:

Bifenthrin is the active ingredient. Too late for today but I should get a chance tomorrow to spray down the entire area.

 

[JimmyJazz]

I have plucked and dug ticks off of my arms and legs numerous times over the last year. I know a guy that was severely affected by the Lyme disease and take the threat seriously but fortunately have been unaffected by my encounters. Our dog wears a tick collar and it may help. Many here have their property treated with chemicals. I have stayed away from that so far. Good luck.

 

[Steppenwolfe]

Spray the area with Permethrin... we do this all around our house and immediate woods once, maybe twice a year. No more ticks.

 

[B737]

Thanks for all the replies. Amazon just dropped this off:
Bifenthrin is the active ingredient. Too late for today but I should get a chance tomorrow to spray down the entire area.

It is about to be bug armageddon....

 

[PoTreeBoy]

I have plucked and dug ticks off of my arms and legs numerous times over the last year. I know a guy that was severely affected by the Lyme disease and take the threat seriously but fortunately have been unaffected by my encounters. Our dog wears a tick collar and it may help. Many here have their property treated with chemicals. I have stayed away from that so far. Good luck.

Permethrin is the solution. Spray your clothes with it, don't spray yourself. Supposedly, it's good for several washings but I try to spray every outing. Around here (north Miss) you can buy Sawyer's in the sporting goods at Walmart. I've also mixed it myself from horse spray.
Since using it I rarely find a tick on me, and haven't been bitten. If I soak my socks, it keeps the chiggers off too.

 

[NHSleddog]

Ask the local game warden for any possums they are re-placing. If you have a nice property they will be glad to drop off a few. Also the local pest guy will deal with them regularly and always need places to re-home them.

 

[B737]

have them drop off some raccoons while they're at it

 

[aaluck]

Not to state the obvious but keep everything cut down. When we first moved into our place the 'grass' on the 12 acres was waist high and we fought ticks like no one's business. After keeping it cut down haven't seen one tick.

 

[ctfjr]

That's what might have caused the tick migration to the dogs aaluck. I am cutting everything small down in the dog's fenced in acre. Its almost all woods. I don't plan to chip until I have everything down that I want down. With this monsoon we are getting today it will be several days until I can take my tractor back there again.
Based on the comments like yours PoTreeBoy I have 1.25 gallons of Permethrin on the way.

 

[ipz2222]

Adams flea and tick spray is really good to spray on the dog. Will kill ticks in seconds and not harm the dog. I keep a spray bottle next to the door and spray their feet and my pants legs. Last time I bought it at Wall Mart.