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TICK ALERT: How To Protect Your Lawn & Family from the Dangerous Tick

June 6, 2017

TICK ALERT: How To Protect Your Lawn & Family from the Dangerous Tick

June 6, 2017
HOW TO IDENTIFY
Ticks are arthropods, meaning they’re invertebrates that have jointed legs and external skeletons. Depending on a tick’s stage in its lifecycle, it can be seen with having 6 legs (larva) or 8 legs(Nymph-Adult). Often times people confusion ticks with being spiders or insects but the real truth is, they're actually a part of a group called mites. These invasive mites are external parasites that latch onto the skin of their hosts with their mouthparts to feed. Categorizing into two groups, ticks can be either ‘hard’ or ‘soft’, hard ticks have protective plates on their backs while soft ticks do not. Ticks with hard backs are restricted in the amount of blood they can consume in one eating, requiring days of attachment to be fully fed while ‘soft’ ticks have a leathery appearance, lacking the hard shield but giving them the opportunity to engorge quicker (in some cases, soft ticks can be fully fed in a matter of minutes).

On top of the two categories, there are multiple different species of ticks throughout the world that can be identified and classified accordingly; to name some: Blacklegged ticks (deer tick), American dog ticks, Brown dog ticks, Lone Star ticks, Rocky Mountain Wood ticks and more. Although these species are different, they have similarities to watch for. It’s important to understand that location, as well as the time of year will determine which tick species is most common in your area. When identifying an unfed tick, some important characteristics to look for are its shield known as the Scutum. The Scutum is located right behind the mouthparts (can be mistaken as the head) of the tick; female adult ticks have a smaller Scutum than males. Male’s Scutum often cover their entire back. Another characteristic to help identify a tick and the species is to look at the festoons of the insect. According to The University of Rhode Island’s TickEncounter Resource Center, “The festoons are small areas separated by short groves on the back margin of the tick.” 
  • NOTE: Blacklegged ticks are the only species that lack festoons.
how to identify the scutum and festoon of ticks

ENGORGED LONE STAR TICK

If a tick is engorged from a feeding, its Scutum can still be seen to identify the tick species. Notice how the Lone Star Tick's (Image to the left) Scutum is still present although the festoon is not.

 

PREFERRED ENVIRONMENT

A tick’s preferred environment depends largely on    its favored host. In general, ticks can be found in wooded areas, tall grass, brush, piles of leaves, woodpiles, underneath ground covering plants and on or around stone walls near favored hosts as well as in lawns and shrubs of surrounding areas. Some ticks can even be found in the dens, nests and burrows for their hosts! Generally, ticks seek out vegetation at the height of the preferred host. It’s important to understand that ticks are susceptible to drying out and seek environments that have a higher humidity to survive. For a better understanding of ticks in your area and their potential habitat, check out The University of Rhode Island’s Tick Encounter Resource Center provides a Current Tick Activity Chart to help identify the ticks most prevalent in the area.
INFESTATION SEASON
A tick’s life cycle is key to understanding when they are most active. Ticks persist mainly throughout the growing season and remain active as long as the temperature remains above freezing (the ground temperature needs to be above 45 degrees Fahrenheit for them to become active during winter). During Mid-March to May the ambient temperature is warming, allowing for tick embryos to develop and hatch into the larva stage. During this time, tick larva will seek a host (a small mammal, rodent or bird) to receive its first blood meal to help it develop into a nymph. Once ticks enter into the nymph stage typically starting in April and continuing into September they are the most active and become most troublesome for larger mammals, including humans. This development stage time varies from species to species but once in the nymph stage, ticks will once again need to engorge in a blood meal to begin the transformation to adulthood (different species may have multiple levels of nymph development prior to adulthood but still pose risks to the pets and people around you). From Mid-August to November nymphs are becoming adults. Adult ticks will also have to feed again, targeting large mammals during this time.

Check out The University of Rhode Island’s TickEncounter Resource Center Chart of the Lone Star Tick and Its Stages of Life.
black legged ticks life cycle

BLACKLEGGED TICKS LIFE CYCLE

For a better understanding of a life cycle for a tick species, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention developed an informative diagram for ease of understanding. This showcases a blacklegged tick that is known to transmit anaplasmosis, babesiosis, and Lyme disease.


DAMAGED CAUSED

Ticks don’t pose a direct threat to the overall health of your turf but it does threaten the potential wellbeing of your family, friends, pets and you as everyone enjoys your lawn this season! These pests hide in lawns and cause potential health risks like skin irritation, fever, aches & pains, rashes and diseases like Lyme disease, southern tick-associated rash illness (STARI), Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF), ehrlichiosis, and tularemia as well as, although rare, ticks can cause the deadly Powassan virus (often carried by backlogged ticks) or paralysis. If a tick is discovered on your body, its important to remove it. CLICK HERE to learn how to properly remove a tick if one is discovered on your body.
HOW TO MANAGE
Conventional insecticides can suppress ticks throughout its lifecycle; check the product’s label to ensure that this pest is controlled. The best time to treat your lawn for ticks is during late spring-early summer. A single application of a control product will manage summer tick season. Review all label instructions of the insecticide purchased for proper directions of use. 
  • NOTE: If you didn’t treat for ticks in spring, an application can be applied in early fall to control adults. Be aware of the label instructions for duration of control if you plan to apply in spring.
List of professional insecticides known to control ticks:
  • Allectus® (Imidacloprid and Bifenthrin)
  • Imi-Lambda® (Imidacloprid and Lambda-cyhalothrin)
* Listed technologies are proven to work on tick infestation problems. Not all insecticides that target ticks are listed here; there are other options out there, be sure to do your research and read label instructions before using any insecticide.

HOW TO PREVENT
If you don’t currently have a tick problem, try preventative measures with best management practices including encouraging a healthy lawn by monitoring and maintaining a neutral soil pH, adopting a continuous lawn care program of fertilization and soil amendments to encourage native plants for appropriate ground cover, introduce proper irrigation, as well as mowing turf to healthy lengths.  

Check out our Lawn Care Tips for more ways to Keep Your Family & Lawn Safe from Ticks this Season.

DID YOU KNOW?
  • Ticks can only crawl; they cannot jump or even fly. If you find a tick on your neck, it most likely crawled from a lower part of your body.
  • Each species of tick begins with the egg that is often deposited on the ground near the nest of its host.
  • Ticks do not just feed recklessly, they require a single blood meal to grow and transform into the different stages of their life cycle. That means depending on the tick species, a single tick may only feed up to three times during its life that can span from a matter of months or years.
  • Blacklegged ticks take 2-3 years to fully develop into adulthood but will feed only 3 times before it dies.
For professional fertilizers, humic and AMP-XC™ enriched products available, please visit TurfCare’s online Product Catalog.
 
For green industry professionals or others interested in ordering Turfcare products, please contact our Customer Service to find a distributor near you.
References:
http://www.tickencounter.org
https://www.cdc.gov/ticks/symptoms.html
http://www.ct.gov/caes/lib/caes/documents/publications/fact_sheets/managingticks05.pdf
https://www.bayeradvanced.com/articles/10-easy-ways-to-rid-your-lawn-of-fleas-and-ticks
http://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2017/03/11/519518318/beyond-lyme-new-tick-borne-diseases-on-the-rise-in-u-s
http://www.wandtv.com/story/35500268/concern-of-uncommon-virus-rising-with-tick-population
https://identify.us.com/idmybug/ticks/tick-FAQS/what-are-ticks.html
https://www.health.ny.gov/publications/2825/
https://extension.umaine.edu/ipm/tickid/tick-biology/
https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/2016/07/22/a392067c-4f79-11e6-aa14-e0c1087f7583_story.html?utm_term=.cf8a37e53d61
 
Photos:
Photo Credit: NIAID | Flickr | Lone Star Tick Engorged
Chart Credit: The University of Rhode Island’s TickEncounter Resource Center
https://www.cdc.gov/ticks/life_cycle_and_hosts.html

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Platte River Equity - Press Release: Turf Care Supply, LLC Acquires Agri-Nutrients, Inc.

October 9, 2024
Platte River Equity Portfolio Company Turf Care Supply, LLC Acquires Agri-Nutrients, Inc. Brunswick, OH , October 9, 2024 – Platte River Equity (“Platte River”) portfolio company Turf Care Supply, LLC (“Turf Care”) is pleased to announce its acquisition of Agri-Nutrients, Inc. (“Agri-Nutrients”), a manufacturer and blender of custom granular fertilizers for the turf & ornamental (“T&O”) industry. This strategic acquisition provides Turf Care with an established presence in the south-central United States, an enhanced product portfolio and additional manufacturing capacity. “This acquisition represents much more than a business transaction; it is a strategic step forward in expanding our reach and enhancing our customers’ growth. By bringing Agri-Nutrients into the Turf Care family, we are broadening our product portfolio, expanding our market presence and further positioning ourselves as a leader in providing innovative solutions for our customers,” said Mark Mangan, President of Turf Care. “We are excited about joining the Turf Care team,” said Jim Montgomery, President of Agri-Nutrients. “At Agri-Nutrients, our core values center around customer service and product innovation, and we are confident that this combination will allow us to better serve the needs of our customers.” “Platte River welcomes the Agri-Nutrients team to Turf Care. This transaction underscores our long-term commitment to fostering growth through both organic and inorganic initiatives across the Turf Care platform,” said Tarun Kanthety, Vice President of Platte River. “The partnership with Agri-Nutrients strengthens Turf Care’s value-added offering, creating additional growth opportunities across the combined customer base.” B&A Corporate Advisors served as the exclusive financial advisor to Agri-Nutrients. About Agri-Nutrients Founded in 1992 and based in Catoosa, OK, Agri-Nutrients is a manufacturer and blender of custom granular fertilizers for the T&O industry, predominantly selling into the lawn care, sports turf and golf course end markets. About Turf Care Supply Established in 1974, Turf Care Supply is one of the largest formulators and blenders of urea products to the T&O market. Turf Care has a comprehensive product portfolio of fertilizers, combination products (herbicide/insecticide), soil amendments and enhanced efficiency fertilizer ingredients. Turf Care's products are sold to distributors and blenders serving the commercial, residential and golf end markets. Turf Care operates four manufacturing facilities strategically located throughout the eastern U.S. About Platte River Equity Founded in 2006 and based in Denver, CO, Platte River Equity is a private equity firm focused on investments in established lower middle market operating companies within targeted industrial sectors where it has substantial operating and investing experience. Platte River utilizes prudent capital structures in order to invest in future growth opportunities and withstand changing economic environments. The firm also provides significant ongoing support to its portfolio companies through dedicated resources across functional areas. The firm has raised funds with committed capital in excess of $1.6 billion and is currently investing out of its fifth fund. The Platte River team is the largest collective investor across its funds, deeply aligning the firm with its investors and portfolio company management teams.

ANNOUNCEMENT: Turf Care Supply, LLC Acquires Agri-Nutrients, Inc.

October 4, 2024
Dear Valued Industry Partners and Customers,  We are pleased to announce that Turf Care Supply, LLC has acquired Agri-Nutrients, Inc. (October 1, 2024) a respected manufacturer in the turf and ornamental fertilizer industry. This acquisition marks a significant step forward in our commitment to providing you with an expanded range of innovative products, services, and industry expertise, all designed to support your business’s continued growth and success. As a valued partner or customer, you will benefit from enhanced service capabilities and an extended geographic reach, thanks to Agri-Nutrients, Inc.’s strategic facility located in the Port of Catoosa, Oklahoma. With this established presence in the Southwest and Western markets, Turf Care Supply, LLC’s expanded operational footprint will allow us to serve a broader region with greater efficiency, delivering even stronger support to help drive your business forward. We are dedicated to ensuring a seamless transition while maintaining the high standards of service you expect. If you have any questions or would like to explore how this new location can enhance your operations, please feel free to contact your account manager or our customer service team. Thank you for your continued trust in Turf Care Supply, LLC. We look forward to partnering with you as we grow together and continue supporting your success. Sincerely, Mark Mangan President Turf Care Supply, LLC

Turf Care Supply Goes Electric

September 28, 2023
With a focus on providing sustainable manufacturing and reducing carbon emissions, Turf Care Supply has embraced the electric power market with the latest mobile equipment upgrades. Completed in June 2023, TCS received all deliveries of electric forklifts to all three manufacturing facilities, including Hatfield, MA, Martins Ferry, OH and Sebring, FL.
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