These 6 Items Are Attracting Ticks to Your Yard—Here's What to Remove Now

There are many things to love about summer, but the resurgence of ticks every year isn't one of them. While you can't completely avoid ticks when spending time outside, there are certain items you can remove from your yard to make it less appealing to them. Just like humans, ticks look for certain characteristics before making a place their home. We asked a pest expert what items attract the most ticks and how to remove them quickly.

1. Bird Feeders

According to Dr. Jim Fredericks, an entomologist with the National Pest Management Association, it's not actually the bird feeder that attracts ticks; it's the animals the bird feeder lures in.

"Bird feeders can attract small mammals like squirrels and mice, which are common tick hosts," he says. As animals come to munch on seeds and bird food, they naturally bring ticks with them. Fredericks recommends sweeping up spilled birdseed regularly or putting away the bird feeder during tick season to avoid them catching a ride into your yard. If the ticks persist, he suggests fencing in your yard to keep tick-carrying wildlife out.

2. Tall or Overgrown Grass

"Tall grass and overgrown vegetation provide ideal spots for ticks to wait for hosts," Fredericks says. He says it's important to mow your lawn and remove tall weeds regularly. He also says to pay special attention to the grass and vegetation next to your home's foundation. He suggests keeping vegetation within 6-8 feet of your house's foundation trimmed short.

3. Compost Piles

Because ticks prefer shady and moist spots, compost piles are the perfect place for ticks to hide out. Fredericks says ticks oftentimes reach compost piles by traveling on mice, rats, and squirrels. While it's more difficult to contain larger piles, he says to keep compost in sealed containers elevated off the ground so ticks can't crawl in. Try using a closable compost bin or a large plastic tote to hold your outdoor compost and keep ticks out.

4. Leaves and Plant Debris

Similar to compost, leaf litter and other plant debris can make appealing homes for ticks. "Leaf piles and brush debris create the moist, shaded environments that ticks prefer," Fredericks says. Clean up fallen leaves, grass clippings, and dead plants, especially if this type of debris tends to collect where people and pets often go.

5. Firewood

If you use a wood-burning fireplace, you may want to reconsider how you store your firewood this summer. "Piles of wood provide shelter for tick hosts like mice, especially when stored close to the house," Fredericks says. To keep ticks as far away from your home as possible, he recommends moving your firewood stack at least 20 feet from your house. Additionally, try to elevate the stack 5 inches off the ground to ensure ticks in the grass don't climb in.

6. Transition Zones

Fredericks says the space between your lawn and surrounding wooded areas, referred to as a transition zone, is the most attractive spot to ticks. Ticks like transition zones because they're shady and have lots of spots to hide and wait for hosts. To keep ticks in the woods and not your yard, Fredericks suggests creating at least a 3-foot barrier of gravel or wood chips between the two.

"Ticks don’t like direct sunlight, and this barrier can act as a tick moat of sorts," he says.

How to Repel Ticks from Your Lawn

Fredericks says repelling ticks isn't about what plants are in your yard or garden; it's about keeping what you have neat and tidy. "Areas with shaded, moist microclimates are particularly attractive to ticks," he says. "That’s why maintaining a neat lawn and regularly mowing grass is so important for tick prevention."

Whatever your yard or garden may look like, regularly mow the lawn, remove tall weeds, and trim dense shrubs. If ticks continue to show up, you can contact a pest control professional to help create a custom treatment and prevention plan for your space.