Modern Pest Services HomeCare Tick Protection and Control

Got Ticks? Click the tick for a free quote Click this link to download the HomeCare Tick Protection Brochure.

If you’ve lived in New England long you’ve probably noticed a dramatic increase in three tick species over the past few years; the American dog tick, brown dog tick, and the black-legged or “Deer” tick. These Hard Bodied ticks are the most prevalent ticks in New England and are important to us because they bite people and pets. Many also carry diseases and the black-legged “deer” tick is important because it is the vector of Lyme disease.

Modern’s tick protection program centers on reducing the number of ticks in and around your home and yard. We use of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) practices to first identify and then treat areas ticks live and breed.

Our Tick Protection Program

Our HomeCare Tick Protection program is a comprehensive two year, six step program designed to help prevent ticks from coming in contact with your family and pets.

Our six step program consists of:
1. Identifying if and where ticks are living in your yard.
2. Identifying the tick species (different ticks are active in different areas and at different times of the year).
3. Identifying conditions conducive to tick infestations.
4. Treating areas of your yard where active tick infestations are found.
5. Treating areas of the yard which are conducive to tick infestations to prevent future tick populations.
6. Reporting to you on what we’ve done and what you can do to protect your family and pets.



Lyme Disease

Lyme Disease -- Lyme disease was first detected in 1976 in Lyme, Connecticut when an unusually large number of children suffering from similar symptoms came down with an unidentified illness later found to be transmitted by the black-legged tick, Ixodes scapularis. In 1981 the causative pathogen, a spirochete named Borrelia burgdorferi, was isolated and confirmed as the cause.

Studies have shown that 90 percent of the black-legged ticks may be infected with B. burgdorferi in parts of northeastern states. Lyme Disease most often begins with the appearance of a spreading rash at the site of the bite. This rash, called erthema chronicum migraines or ECM, is seen in about 60 percent of patients. Most victims of Lyme Disease report a flu-like illness at first, and often dismiss the symptoms as a "24 hour bug," overexertion or lack of rest. Lyme Disease is very difficult to diagnose because each victim’s symptomatology can be different.

Three distinct stages of Lyme Disease have been described, but these stages may not appear in all patients, may overlap, or often may occur out-of-sequence. The different stages may mimic the symptomatology of other diseases further conflicting correct diagnosis. Stage One involves the ECM rash and the flu-like illness. Stage Two involve neurological and cardiac problems. The disease can cause malfunctions in the electrical signals to the heart and has caused doctors to install pacemakers in some patients. Stage Three results in arthritic conditions in various joints. Unlike typical arthritis, Lyme Disease may only affect one side of the body or only one or two joints.

Black-legged ticks are also carriers of a disease called human granulocytic erlichiosus or HGE. Some persons infected with Lyme Disease have also contracted HGE, possibly as the result of the same tick bite. For more information regarding tick-bourne diseases, visit the website of the Centers for Disease Control.

24 Hour Hotline: 800-886-LYME (5963)

Tick Prevention Tips

The best way to avoid tick bites is to stay away from tick infested areas. However, if it is necessary, follow these tips when working or walking in areas potentially inhabited by ticks.

  1. Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants. Light colors are best so ticks are easier to detect.
  2. Secure the bottom of pants inside socks or tie close around the ankles
  3. Wear a hat.
  4. Tuck long hair under a hat.
  5. Carefully inspect your body after exiting infested areas. Have another person inspect your backside and back of your head.
  6. Wash clothing in warm water and detergent immediately.
  7. Never throw potentially infested clothing in a hamper with other clothes or onto the floor.
  8. Protect pets by preventing them from venturing into tick-infested areas or consult your veterinarian for tick treatment products. Remember, your dog can also contract Lyme Disease.
  9. Inspect pets carefully for ticks after walking them in wooded areas or fields.  
  10. Use tick repellent applied to clothing, particularly the lower body and the arms.