Ticks

Ticks are small, flat, oval-shaped arachnids (not insects) with eight legs. Unfed adults range from the size of a sesame seed (deer tick) to a small watermelon seed (dog tick, lone star tick). After feeding, they become engorged and can swell to the size of a raisin. The three most common species in coastal South Carolina are the blacklegged tick (deer tick), the American dog tick, and the lone star tick — identified by the single white dot on the female's back. Ticks do not jump or fly; they quest on vegetation with outstretched front legs.

Finding ticks attached to your skin, pets, or clothing after spending time outdoors is the primary indicator. Check around the hairline, behind ears, in armpits, around the waist, and behind knees — ticks prefer warm, concealed areas. On pets, check around ears, between toes, and under collars. Seeing ticks questing (reaching upward with front legs) on tall grass, brush, or leaf litter edges along trails and yard perimeters indicates an active outdoor population.

MBPC's tick reduction program targets the landscape zones where ticks are most active in the Grand Strand — the transition area between lawn and palmetto thickets, along sandy trails and walkways, and in shaded, leaf-littered perimeter zones. We apply residual acaricide treatments to these tick habitat areas. Granular treatments in mulch beds and ground cover reduce tick populations at ground level. Our technicians may also recommend deer deterrent strategies, as white-tailed deer are a primary host for adult blacklegged ticks.

In Myrtle Beach, SC, create a 3-foot wide gravel or wood chip barrier between your lawn and any palmetto thickets to discourage tick migration. Keep grass mowed short and remove leaf litter from yard edges. Wear light-colored clothing and apply EPA-registered repellent containing DEET or picaridin when hiking or working in wooded areas. Perform thorough tick checks on all family members and pets after outdoor activities.

Ticks thrive in the humid, shaded areas with leaf litter and low vegetation common in Myrtle Beach, SC. In residential settings, the highest-risk zones are the transition between maintained lawn and natural woodland or brush — the so-called 'tick zone.' They also inhabit mulch beds, ground cover plantings, stone walls, and areas frequented by deer and other wildlife hosts near tidal creeks and salt marshes. The Grand Strand's wooded lots, marshland edges, and abundant deer population create significant tick exposure risk, especially in neighborhoods bordering undeveloped land.

Peak activity: Spring-Fall