Pests + Nematodes
This month we had originally planned on talking about the beloved American Chestnut, but it seemed more pressing to focus on pests that are a nuisance in our area and will begin to emerge and become a problem for people who want to enjoy the great outdoors. Don’t worry, we will still come back to the American Chestnut!
Northern Virginia is a hotbed for ticks and fleas. Not to mention grubs and gnats! Ticks alone are terrible in this region and carry dangerous diseases such as Lyme disease. Lyme disease can be hard to diagnose. Contrary to popular belief, you don’t have to get a red bullseye rash to be infected with it. Lyme is painful — and in some cases it is deadly — so it is important to take extra precautions to prevent getting infected.
Jim Donegan notes that nematodes (naturally-occurring, microscopic organisms found in soils throughout the world) can be used to prevent ticks and fleas. He applied nematodes in his yard last year and saw no ticks or fleas for the entire season! Nematodes are a great natural way to combat fleas and ticks. They can also help to get rid of other lawn and garden pests such as gnats, grubs, bagworms, weevils, and more. (1,2)
Keep in mind that nematodes could cause some problems with the local pollinators, so be sure to apply them at ground level while the bees and pollinators are not active. (3) Other than that, no harm is caused to people, plants, animals, and birds by the use of beneficial nematodes.
You can combat tick infestations by using other methods, but please be cautious and research the environmental and health impacts for certain treatments.
Self and clothing: Deet (4), permethrin (5), essential oils (6)
Lawn: Nematodes, permethrin, organic lawn sprays (7)
When you come back from being outdoors, even if you have taken precautions to prevent ticks from attaching to you, you should double check. If you find a tick on your body, make sure to remove it as soon as possible. The longer they stay attached, the higher your chances are to become infected from any disease they are carrying. (8)
We don’t want to stop you from getting outdoors and enjoying spring and summer. But we do want to make sure these bugs do not keep you from doing the things that you enjoy in your yard. Remember to be cautious, take precautions, and research the methods available to help you combat these pests.
References:
2 - https://tickrepellent.net/beneficial-nematodes/
4 - http://npic.orst.edu/factsheets/DEETgen.html
6 - https://www.healthline.com/health/natural-tick-repellent#natural-repellents
7 - https://www.thisoldhouse.com/lawns/22266301/best-tick-killers