Tick Types & Marketing Hype

The results of the 2024 State of the Tick Control survey indicate that the most prevalent tick species haven’t changed much from last year, aside from a 5 percent jump in PMPs saying the brown dog tick is the top species they see. Brown dog ticks and American dog ticks are now tied for the No. 1 spot in terms of prevalence, at 32 percent. At No. 2 is the Eastern blacklegged, or deer, tick, with 24 percent of respondents naming it the top tick in their markets.

Nate Heider of Spidexx reported that Minnesota is seeing increasing numbers of both American dog and deer ticks. “We’ve watched them increase year after year and, unfortunately, sometimes it’s in places where we have limited treatment options. That’s because ticks like to hang out in the same places as rusty patched bumblebees, which are protected under the Endangered Species Act. We can use tubes and boxes in those areas, but not adulticides.”

In addition to looking at the most prevalent species, it’s interesting to explore tick species that are moving into new territory. Notably, the lone star tick, once considered a South/South Central pest is continuing a migration that has to date taken it as far north as Maine.

“Lone star ticks are now among the species we see in Cape Cod; they weren’t here six years ago,” said Michael Russell of LifeSpace Pest Solutions. “It’s concerning because they carry diseases such as alpha-gal syndrome (AGS), which causes allergies to red meat.”

Lone star ticks are present in Virginia Beach, too, reported Angie English of Vinx Pest Control. “I’ve been in pest management for 24 years, so I’ve watched the different progressions. You never used to hear about lone star ticks, but over the past three or four years, they’ve been migrating farther north and are become a concern to many more areas.”

FEAR-BASED MARKETING? Perhaps surprisingly, PMPs’ focus on the health risks associated with ticks isn’t increasing much year-over-year. While those risks are among the top three responses to the question “What aspects of your tick control services are featured in your company’s marketing efforts?” (with certified technicians, at 39 percent, and preventive service, at 38 percent), health risks’ 38 percent represents just a slight (2 percent) bump over last year. Many PMPs believe that the media has scared people enough about tick-borne diseases.

“Newspapers and other media outlets have fanned the flames of fear about Lyme disease, anaplasmosis and, related to mosquitoes, West Nile virus,” said Russell. “When they call us for service, we see that as an opportunity to put their minds at ease. We educate them about how we can help them protect themselves, their pets and their homes. That gives them confidence and peace of mind.”