# Spraying for Ticks/Lawn Ferilizer



## sr73087 (Mar 25, 2015)

So I have noticed I have been having a big problem with ticks this spring. The snow has only been gone for about 2 weeks and I already found a tick on myself and pulled 3 off of my dog. I contemplated last year on spraying the yard, however this year I will have bees in the yard and don't want to hurt them either. Supposedly the spraying is natural but I find this hard to believe. What have other found, is this a good idea?

Also, I have been working on getting the yard up to par the last few years. I have used fertilizers in the past, which they also claim are pet safe but I have my doubts. What are your thoughts once again?


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## Rader Sidetrack (Nov 30, 2011)

I see plenty of posts promoting the tick eating abilities of guinea fowl roaming around the yard. 


What are the brand names of the tick controls that you are considering applying?


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## jbraun (Nov 13, 2013)

I saw something on facebook that said opossums eat lots of ticks. If that's to rural for you I tuck my pant legs into my socks when the ticks and chiggers are bad and then I only have to look on the upper half of my body. By the way your dog may not go with you more than once after you start working your bees mine doesn't anymore.

I don't use any fertilizer on my lawn and it seems to do OK. Just not spring green in the fall.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

Free range chickens knock them down in a hurry...


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## EvanS (Feb 27, 2015)

Be careful free ranging chickens with a dog. My dogs grabbed two of our chickens last year and pulled them into the kennel. They no longer free range.


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## sr73087 (Mar 25, 2015)

I was looking at:

http://greensprays.com/

Where I live I can not have free range chickens. They need to be fenced in.


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## Haraga (Sep 12, 2011)

Move your bees out and kill the ticks then move the bees back in after the residual is gone. It's that simple.


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## Fetustician (Feb 23, 2015)

We have guineas and they do a fabulous job of getting the ticks off. They are noisy but their determination to eat bugs in unparalleled!


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

>My dogs grabbed two of our chickens last year and pulled them into the kennel. They no longer free range.

Some free range dogs are not compatible with free range chickens...


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## beepro (Dec 31, 2012)

So only one type of free range, eh.
Why not just fence them in, either one will do. 
Do chickens eat bees too?


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## Cub Creek Bees (Feb 16, 2015)

They don't mess with the living, but they will eat the dead. Some folks have their hives in the chicken run so the birds get that extra protein, one less electric fence...


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## Westhill (Jul 26, 2012)

I have no clue about the spraying, but just wanted to say, be careful about ticks in Connecticut. I saw a report on the news last week about a new tick-borne disease in southern Connecticut that is "untreatable." It's called Powassan virus. So far no people have gotten it, but apparently they've found ticks there that have it in their system. I hope you find a method of controlling ticks that is also safe for your bees.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

I have on occasion seen a hen eat a bee. She usually looks a bit disconcerted and quickly loses interest...


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## Walliebee (Nov 17, 2006)

Westhill said:


> So far no people have gotten it, but apparently they've found ticks there that have it in their system.
> 
> 
> > No cases have been found in CT, but there have been 64 cases with 7 deaths in other states.
> ...


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## Rader Sidetrack (Nov 30, 2011)

If you read the fine print at the "Greensprays.com" site linked in post #6, they are spraying oil + surfactant. Despite their claims that spray will not kill bees, their spray is *not selective* as oil + surfactant will kill bees just the same as ticks, if it gets sprayed ON the bees.



> We use a proprietary organic cedar wood oil based treatment that has surfactants and other biosolvents that help desicate the insect.
> 
> http://greensprays.com/faq/


It doesn't matter if you call it "organic" or not. The dead insects will remain just as dead either way.


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## SeaCucumber (Jun 5, 2014)

Insecticide is bad. Build 2 fenced in areas side by side. The dog goes in one side, and the chickens go in the other. Then you rotate the animals. It would be best if your fence was made of live plants. Willow could be the easiest.


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## sr73087 (Mar 25, 2015)

Now what about granular fertilizer? I have used them in the past but am definitely concerned with their safety for the bees and the family, even though they say they are "kid and pet friendly" or something along those lines.


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## HarryVanderpool (Apr 11, 2005)

Why would one consider fighting ticks with an insecticide?
Ticks are not insects; remember?


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