Blacklegged Tick Control

Blacklegged Ticks In Central Texas

The blacklegged tick, or deer tick, is best known as the Lyme disease tick, though Lyme is uncommon in Central Texas.

Because its nymphs are so small and it favors shaded, wooded areas, the blacklegged tick is easy to overlook, which is why yard treatment and tick checks matter.

Signs You Have Blacklegged Ticks

Blacklegged ticks are subtle, but a few signs point to them:

• Very small, dark-legged ticks found attached after time in wooded areas.
• Tiny nymphs the size of a poppy seed, easy to miss.
• Shaded, wooded edges and leaf litter around the property.
• Deer and rodents passing through, the hosts that carry them.
• Ticks on pets after they roam wooded parts of the yard.

Are Blacklegged Ticks Dangerous?

Blacklegged ticks are the species that spreads Lyme disease, and they can also carry anaplasmosis and babesiosis. The NIH MedlinePlus guide to tick bites covers safe removal and the symptoms to watch for.

The reassuring part for Central Texas is that Lyme disease is uncommon here compared with the Northeast and upper Midwest. Still, the tick is present, its bite can transmit other illnesses, and its tiny nymphs are easy to miss, so removal and yard control remain worthwhile.

How We Get Rid of Blacklegged Ticks

Stride treats blacklegged ticks through the five-step Stride Forward process, aimed at the shaded, wooded zones they favor:

1. Inspect. We check the shaded, wooded edges and leaf litter where blacklegged ticks quest.
2. Identify. We confirm blacklegged ticks and the habitat and hosts feeding them.
3. Recommend. We flag the leaf litter and brush to clear and, with your vet, the tick preventive for pets.
4. Treat. We treat the wooded edges, shaded borders, and leaf-litter zones where the ticks wait.
5. Evaluate. We re-treat on a recurring cycle, since wildlife keeps bringing new ticks in.

Our GreenPro certification guides this reduced-risk approach.

How to Keep Blacklegged Ticks Away

Keeping blacklegged ticks down centers on shade, leaf litter, and pets:

• Clear leaf litter and brush from shaded, wooded edges.
• Add a gravel or wood-chip barrier between the lawn and woods.
• Keep grass short and let sunlight into shaded areas where practical.
• Keep pets on a vet-recommended tick preventive.
• Check for ticks, including tiny nymphs, after time in wooded areas.

Blacklegged Tick Control Frequently Asked Questions

Stride Forward is our Integrated Pest Management program where we partner with our clients in the long-term removal and prevention of pests. Keeping your property free of unwanted insects and rodents works best when we work together.

The program combines habitat manipulation, biological control, cultural behavior changes, and the targeted use of products designed to repel or eradicate pests. Our approach follows five steps, with non-chemical methods prioritized before any product application.

Our Certifications & Awards

Stride Pest Control holds QualityPro and GreenPro certifications through the NPMA’s Foundation for Professional Pest Management, and fewer than 3% of pest control companies nationwide hold both. QualityPro requires background checks on every service member, a drug-free workplace, and 16 standards that exceed state and federal requirements.

Our Austin and Round Rock office operates under Texas Department of Agriculture license TPCL #667951, with Burton Johnston as Responsible Certified Applicator. Our San Antonio office operates under TPCL #827449, with Alex Randall as Responsible Certified Applicator. Our office manager, Michael Honeycutt, is an Associate Certified Entomologist through the Entomological Society of America.

Founded in 2013, we have served nearly 12,000 customers across Central Texas and hold a 4.9-star rating across 2,400+ reviews with an A+ from the BBB.