Indiana Homeowners: Here’s What To Do If You Find a Tick Nest In Your Yard

Oh my goodness - some animals are just so gross. Among the worst are flies, mosquitos, and ticks. Now look, they can't help it that they are little blood-suckers. That's just how God made them and I'm sure He had a good reason. I can't fathom what that reason would be but here we are!

Indiana & Kentucky Tick Season

In the tri-state we are currently in tick season. According to IN.gov, "In Indiana, nymphs are most active during spring and summer and adults are most active during the late summer and fall. However, adult ticks may be active any time winter temperatures are above freezing." So, basically, they come alive when we have those nice warm days.

Ticks can cause an assortment of issues from Lymes Disease, transmits ehrlichiosis, tularemia, heartland virus & Southern tick-associated rash illness (STARI). They can even cause alpha-gal syndrome, a potential life-threatening red meat allergy.

Evidence suggests that AGS is primarily associated with the bite of a lone star tick in the United States, but other kinds of ticks have not been ruled out. Other tick species have been connected with the development of AGS in other countries. -CDC

A friend of mine has alpha-gal and she can't even eat food that has been prepared alongside red meat. It's terrible!

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What Does a Tick Nest Look Like?

You know what's even grosser about ticks? They gorge themselves on blood and then can lay dormant for months. After a while, females will lay eggs.

Female ticks will lay eggs in a "nest" which is a gelatinous glob of sticky eggs that resemble dark brown caviar. Nests usually consist of hundreds of eggs and are about an inch in diameter. The larvae take a few weeks to a few months to hatch and then they go on their merry way to eat and breed and lay hundreds of eggs and die. Many of them actually starve to death before they find a host to latch onto but if you find a tick nest, you should destroy it.

How to Destroy a Tick Nest

The first thing you'll need is gloves. The eggs can still carry disease. Next, pour rubbing alcohol over the nest. The chemical should kill the eggs. You can also remove it from its spot and burn it.