Ticks are arachnids that can transmit various pathogens, including the bacteria responsible for Lyme disease. While often associated with lawns, ticks do not generally thrive in the short, well-maintained grass of a mowed lawn. A manicured lawn is typically too exposed and dry to support a persistent tick population.
Where Ticks Really Live
Ticks, particularly the blacklegged tick, are highly susceptible to desiccation; they easily dry out and die without moisture. For survival, they require high humidity and shaded environments, which a sunny, open lawn does not provide. Regular mowing reduces grass height, minimizing shade and increasing sun exposure, making the area inhospitable to ticks.
The primary tick habitats in a residential setting are concentrated in three high-risk zones, often located at the edges of the property. The most concentrated area is the transition zone where the lawn meets wooded areas, stone walls, or ornamental plantings. The majority of ticks found on residential lawns are within a short distance, typically about nine feet, of this woodland edge.
The second common habitat is in leaf litter and ground cover, which provides the cool, moist microclimate ticks need to survive. Ticks are also found in tall grasses, dense brush, or overgrown weeds, where they practice “questing” by climbing to the tips of vegetation to wait for a host. These peripheral areas offer the combination of moisture, shade, and access to host animals like deer, rodents, and birds.
Strategies for Tick-Safe Landscaping
Landscaping modifications can significantly reduce tick-friendly habitat near your home by eliminating the conditions ticks need to survive. A primary strategy is creating a barrier between the lawn and the surrounding wooded or natural areas. This involves installing a strip of material, such as wood chips, mulch, or gravel, at least three feet wide between the lawn and the tick-prone edge. This dry, exposed barrier restricts tick migration into high-use lawn areas.
Keeping the lawn mowed frequently to a short height helps maintain the low-humidity environment ticks avoid. Removing leaf litter and clearing brush and weeds from around stone walls, woodpiles, and the lawn perimeter eliminates the moist, shaded material where ticks hide. Stacking firewood neatly in a dry, sunny location away from the house also discourages rodents, which are a major host for immature ticks.
Pruning trees and shrubs to allow more sunlight to reach the ground helps decrease the humidity in shaded areas. Position outdoor recreational equipment, like swing sets and patios, in sunny locations away from the wooded edges of the property. These simple yard management practices create a less hospitable environment, establishing a “tick-safe zone” around the home.