Most people switch off about ticks once the big summer walks are over, but mild, damp October weather keeps them active well into autumn – and anyone walking dogs or kids through the green spaces around Carlton, Mapperley, St Ann’s, Gedling and Netherfield is still at real risk of bringing them home.
Why this corner of Nottingham is particularly exposed
This pair of areas backs onto more tick-friendly habitat than most people realise. Gedling Country Park’s long grass and scrub, the wooded fringes around Colwick Park, St Ann’s allotments, and the overgrown edges of older gardens in Carlton and Mapperley all give ticks exactly what they want: long vegetation, leaf litter, and plenty of passing hosts. Deer, foxes, hedgehogs and even garden-visiting cats and dogs all carry ticks between these green corridors and the gardens backing onto them.
How ticks actually get indoors
Ticks don’t jump or fly – they wait on vegetation and latch onto anything that brushes past, then ride home on fur, trouser legs or coat sleeves. The most common route into a house is a dog that’s been walked through Gedling Country Park or the Colwick fringes, or children who’ve been playing in long grass on an allotment or at the bottom of a garden. Once indoors, a tick that drops off before it’s noticed can survive for some time in carpets, bedding or soft furnishings while it looks for its next meal.
Signs you might have a problem
- Finding ticks attached to pets or family members after walks, particularly around ears, collars, waistbands and hairlines
- Small, dark, slow-moving “spots” on bedding or pet baskets that turn out to be engorged ticks
- Long grass, log piles, or overgrown hedge bases in the garden that back onto fields, parkland or allotments
- Regular wildlife visitors – foxes, deer, hedgehogs – seen in the garden or caught on a trail camera
A sensible word on health risks
Most tick bites in the UK are harmless if the tick is removed promptly and correctly, but a small proportion of ticks carry Lyme disease, so it’s worth taking seriously rather than ignoring. If you or a family member develops a spreading circular rash, flu-like symptoms, or feels unwell in the days or weeks after a known tick bite, it’s worth getting it checked by a GP. The same goes for pets and unusual lethargy after a walk – a vet check costs little and rules out the rare but genuine complications.
What you can do yourself
- Keep grass cut short and clear leaf litter and log piles away from the areas where children and pets play
- Check pets, and yourself, over after every walk through Gedling Country Park, Colwick, or any of the allotment edges – ticks are easiest to remove before they’ve properly attached
- Use a vet-recommended tick prevention product on dogs and cats, especially through autumn while temperatures stay mild
- Remove any attached tick promptly with a proper tick removal tool, gripping close to the skin and pulling straight out slowly – never twist or squeeze the body
When it’s worth calling a professional
Garden maintenance and pet treatments deal with most everyday risk, but if your Carlton, Mapperley, St Ann’s, Gedling or Netherfield garden backs onto parkland, allotments, or has regular wildlife traffic, a professional tick and flea treatment of the garden – focused on long grass edges, shaded borders and log stores – can knock numbers right down. It’s also worth having a pest controller take a look if wildlife such as foxes or hedgehogs are regularly denning close to the house, since they’re often the ones bringing ticks into the garden in the first place.
NestBusters covers Carlton, Mapperley, St Ann’s, Gedling, Netherfield and the rest of Nottingham and Nottinghamshire. If you’re dealing with ticks, fleas, or any other pest problem this autumn, get in touch on 0742 984 9483 or visit nottinghampest.co.uk to book an inspection.
