San Antonio Flea, Tick, & Chigger Control

Click on any heading below to learn more about Stride’s Control Process.

Preventing Fleas

Fleas are small wingless insects that act as parasites to humans, cats, dogs, and other animals. They survive by sucking the blood of hosts. Some fleas can cause diseases such as plague, typhus, and cat scratch disease. They can also cause parasites, such as tapeworms.

Because of these potential dangers, you want to keep fleas out of your home. Using a store-bought flea repellent isn’t going to work. You need to be proactive and do some landscaping outdoors. Fleas prefer to hide in tall grass, so be sure to mow your lawn before the grass gets too tall. Get rid of weeds and dispose of leaves, compost, lawn clippings, and other garden waste. Fleas also want to be near pets, so focus on areas where your dogs and cats like to frequent, such as near trees and in kennels.

Fleas are very small — ⅛ inch long. They are dark red in color and move very fast, so they are hard to spot. However, if you do notice them in your home, you need to act quickly and call our San Antonio pest control experts before these pests spread disease to you and your family.

Preventing Ticks

Ticks are eight-legged insects that are typically flat — that is, until they feed on a host. They can then engorge with blood and become several times larger. Ticks can be brown, black, reddish-brown, grayish-white, or yellowish in color. Keep in mind that only female ticks feed on hosts and spread disease.

You can keep ticks out of your yard by performing regular maintenance. Remove leaf litter and keep your lawn mowed. If you use firewood, stack it away from your home. Keep toys and equipment away from trees, which is where ticks like to hide. Build fences to keep deer, raccoons, and other tick-infested animals out of your yard. Also, sealing gaps in your walls and foundation so that ticks cannot enter the home.

It’s a good idea to keep ticks away from cats and dogs because they can cause serious health problems. They can be infected with bacteria, viruses, or parasites. Ticks can spread diseases such as Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Tick-Borne Relapsing Fever, babesiosis, ehrlichiosis, anaplasmosis, and tularemia.

If you notice ticks in your yard or on your pets, contact Stride Pest Control today for a consultation. Our goal is to provide the most effective pest control services to protect you and your pets.

Preventing Chiggers

Chiggers are small mites that live in grassy, wooded areas near water. They are red and have six legs. These microscopic pests are 1/150 inch in length, making them pretty much invisible to the naked eye. Like ticks, they will attach to your clothing and feed off your skin.

Chiggers can cause itchy bites, particularly on body parts such as ankles, lower legs, waist, and behind the knees. These bites look like speckled lines of red spots. Chigger bites are common in the summer months, when the weather is hot. While chiggers can be annoying, they do not cause diseases. However, in some cases, there may be pus and swelling, which can indicate an infection. Seek medical help if you notice these symptoms.

Chiggers are attracted to areas with overgrown grass, weeds, shrubs, and briars. You can keep chiggers out of your yard by mowing your lawn and pulling your weeds. Trim trees and shrubs and prune your plants to reduce shade, which chiggers love. Gravel and artificial turf are some landscaping ideas that can keep chiggers and other pests out of your yard.

You can also discourage chiggers by keeping host animals away. Amphibians, reptiles, birds, and rodents are common hosts. You can keep these animals out of your yard by removing sources of food and water and keeping lids on trash cans. You may also want to put fencing around your yard or add some pest-repelling plants.

Keep your yard free of chiggers and other annoying pests by trusting in the pest control professionals at Stride Pest Control. We have access to strong pesticides that can help eradicate insects, rodents, and other pests for good.

Keeping Pets Free From Fleas and Ticks

Fleas and ticks are nuisances that can cause your dog or cat to itch, scratch, and suffer from dangerous diseases. Flea and tick prevention medicines such as Frontline can keep pests off your pets, but there’s more you can do to make your dogs and cats feel comfortable.

• Keep your house clean. Once flea eggs are laid inside the house, they can multiply at a rate of 100 per day. Routinely cleaning your pet’s bedding, couches, carpets, and curtains can help you remove flea eggs before they hatch.
• Check pets for ticks. If you live in an area with tall grass and heavy brush, inspect your pets regularly for ticks. Check their skin, ears, and under their legs. Ticks are more likely to bite in warm weather, and once they do, it takes just 24 hours for it to transmit diseases. If you think your dog has been bitten by a tick, look for changes in behavior, such as tiredness, limping, and loss of appetite.
• Don’t use old products. Be wary of using expired flea and tick products on your pets. They likely won’t be as effective, making flea and tick bites more likely to occur. Check with your veterinarian to choose the newest, most effective products for your pet. Some brands are better than others, so find the one that works best for your dog or cat.

In preparation for your Flea, Tick, or Chigger extermination service, please download the following form: FLEA, TICK, CHIGGER PREPARATION SHEET.