Reliable Treatment Protocols Help Technicians Do the Job Right

Pest management companies have long relied on the tried-and-true standard of residual pesticides, often combined with insect growth regulators (IGRs), for treating ticks. In 2023, 94 percent are using residual pesticides; for four out of five PMPs (80 percent) these pesticides are their primary control measure for ticks. Nearly half (48 percent) are incorporating IGRs into their treatment plans, and almost a quarter (24 percent) are using rodent control.

Notable in the comparison of PCT’s 2022 and 2023 studies: The use of green/25(b) exempt products — e.g., botanical sprays and essential oils — in treating ticks is up. In 2022, 20 percent included these products in their tick protocols; in 2023, 27 percent. Repellents became more popular year-over-year as well, with 14 percent of PMPs using repellents in 2023 versus 9 percent in 2022.

Todd Barber’s team at Barber’s Best Termite and Pest typically uses a liquid pesticide with an IGR. “Indoors, it takes about three visits to eliminate the infestation. For exterior treatments, we market tick control as a one-time service. If a customer has ongoing issues with or concerns about ticks, we offer them monthly or quarterly treatments.”

Those outdoor treatments are done with a power sprayer or backpack mister, Barber says, with technicians paying close attention to shrubbery and foliage. He guarantees one-time treatments for 30 days and monthly/quarterly programs on an ongoing basis.

For many companies, bundling tick services with mosquito and/or flea services makes sense from not only the business perspective but also a treatment standpoint.

“We roll our tick services in with mosquito because the same type of treatment works for both,” says Todd Simpson, HTP Termite & Pest Control. “We just target some additional areas for ticks, including shaded areas where the pet lays. We also make sure we treat barns and outdoor kennels where animals are kept. We treat every 30 days, consistent with the mosquito protocol, and have great success in eliminating the tick infestations. We seldom receive callbacks for ticks.”

In fact, that’s the case for many companies. The average callback rate for ticks is just 2.6 percent, and nearly half of PMPs (45 percent) report no callbacks at all. That’s probably why 47 percent of PMPs don’t hesitate to guarantee their tick services. With the right treatment plan and safeguards against reintroduction (such as treating pets and maintaining lawns), ticks can be managed quite effectively.