Parshall Pest Control Experts is highlighting new national and state guidance on tick prevention in residential yards as Michigan records rapid growth in tick‑borne diseases and more residents report encountering ticks close to home. The company is summarizing federal and state recommendations so that homeowners in Traverse City and surrounding northern Michigan communities can apply practical, evidence‑based steps on their own properties.
According to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), reported Lyme disease cases in the state increased from 452 in 2020 to 1,215 in 2024, a 168 percent rise over five years. MDHHS also reports that anaplasmosis, another tick‑borne infection, rose from 17 cases in 2020 to 82 in 2024 during the same period. These increases have led state health officials and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to stress that many people are now being exposed to ticks in their own yards and neighborhoods, not only in remote outdoor areas. Learn more at https://smb.picayuneitem.com/article/Parshall-Pest-Control-Experts-Explains-2026-Bug-Barometer-Forecast-for-Traverse-City-Earlier-More-Intense-Mosquito-Tick-Ant-and-Cockroach-Season-in-the-Changing-Climate/69e6ad4270ba1b0002834c05.
The CDC states that the best way to prevent Lyme disease or Alpha-gal syndrome and other tick‑borne illnesses is to prevent tick bites, and it specifically notes that many people acquire ticks while gardening, playing, or relaxing in their own yards. To address this, the CDC and the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station recommend creating “tick‑safe zones” around homes using a combination of landscaping changes and, where appropriate, carefully applied pesticides.
National public‑health guidance for tick‑safe yards focuses first on modifying the environment where ticks and their animal hosts thrive. The CDC advises homeowners to remove leaf litter, clear tall grasses and brush from around homes and at the edge of lawns, mow lawns frequently, and keep wood piles stacked neatly in dry areas to discourage rodents that can carry ticks. It further recommends placing a three‑foot‑wide barrier of wood chips or gravel between lawns and wooded areas, keeping playground equipment, decks, and patios away from yard edges and trees, and using fencing to discourage deer and other wildlife from entering yards.
A 2019 study in the Journal of Medical Entomology evaluated commonly recommended yard management measures and found that maintaining short grass, removing leaf litter, and reducing brush and shaded edge habitat can lower tick abundance in treated areas, although effectiveness varies with property type and surrounding habitat. A 2023 evidence review from the National Collaborating Centre for Environmental Health similarly concluded that integrated approaches combining habitat modification, host management, and, where needed, targeted acaricide use are more likely to reduce tick populations than any single measure alone.
For situations where environmental measures alone are insufficient, federal guidance recognizes a role for carefully selected pesticides. The CDC notes that pesticide applications to outdoor areas can reduce the number of ticks in treated portions of a yard but cautions that spraying should not be relied upon as the only means of prevention and that all label directions and local regulations must be followed. In addition, the CDC’s Lyme disease prevention resources emphasize that even when yard treatments are used, homeowners should continue to use EPA‑registered repellents, perform regular tick checks, and follow other personal protective measures.
Parshall Pest Control Experts is using these national sources to help northern Michigan homeowners understand which steps can be implemented independently and when professional assistance may be appropriate. “Creating a tick‑safe yard starts with basic landscaping and habitat changes that many property owners can do themselves, guided by CDC and state recommendations,” a company representative said. “Our role is to interpret that guidance for local conditions and, where requested, provide services that align with current public‑health and scientific evidence.”
Local residents have also reported the benefits of targeted outdoor pest treatments for other biting insects. One Traverse City property owner, Blake Goodell Google review, described a recent experience with mosquito management as follows:
“My neighbor and I had a bad mosquito hatch this year. I had literally millions of mosquitos on my property which was extremely uncomfortable to say the least.Brady from Parshall came out and sprayed both of our properties and within an hour of spraying haven’t seen a single mosquito! I no longer have to spray myself with repellant every time I go outside.It was a super fair price too. I will definitely be calling them back on a regular basis! Thank you Brady for taking care of our mosquito problem”
While ticks and mosquitoes are different vectors, experts note that many of the same property‑level practices—such as removing standing water for mosquitoes and managing vegetation and shaded edge habitat for ticks—can be combined into a single, integrated approach to reduce biting arthropods around homes.
Public‑health agencies continue to stress that yard‑level measures should be paired with personal protection when residents spend time outdoors. The CDC and U.S. Forest Service recommend using EPA‑registered repellents, wearing long sleeves and pants in tick‑habitat, checking the body, clothing, and pets for ticks after outdoor activity, showering soon after coming indoors, and promptly removing any attached ticks. Michigan health officials likewise urge residents to remain vigilant during the spring, summer, and fall months when tick activity and tick‑borne disease risk are highest.
ABOUT PARSHALL PEST CONTROL EXPERTS: Parshall Pest Control Experts is a licensed pest management company based in the Traverse City area of northern Michigan. The company provides residential and commercial services for structural and outdoor pests and incorporates current guidance from organizations such as MDHHS and the CDC into its inspection and treatment protocols. Read more at https://parshallpestcontrol.com/exterminator-traverse-city.
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For more information about Parshall Pest Control Experts, contact the company here:
Parshall Pest Control Experts
Corey Parshall
877-250-2060
info@parshallpestcontrol.com
Parshall Pest Control Experts
12935 S W Bay Shore Dr #280
Traverse City, MI 49684
Phone: (231) 409-1295
Email: info@parshallpestcontrol.com