![](\"/assets/images/uploaded/Blog%20images/pexels-pixabay-99548.jpg\")
Introduction
Here at Cyclone Rake, our hatred of mosquitoes is equivalent to our love for dragonflies. Not only are dragonflies incredibly cool to watch and effectively harmless to humans, they are public enemy number one to the hated mosquito.
The question then becomes: is there a way to leverage the power of these predators against the hated mosquito? There is, in fact, and in this blog post we’ll walk you through how best to create a dragonfly sanctuary to tame the mosquitoes in your yard.
Steps to Create a Dragonfly Sanctuary
1. Add a Water Feature
Dragonflies need water to complete their life cycle. Adding a water feature is the most important step in creating a dragonfly sanctuary. While this can also create a breeding spot for mosquitoes, it’s a requisite part of attracting dragonflies.
2. Include Aquatic Plants
Aquatic plants provide essential habitat for dragonfly nymphs and perching spots for adult dragonflies.
3. Provide Perching Sites
Dragonflies need sunny spots to rest and warm up. Adding perching sites around your yard will make it more attractive to them.
4. Create a Diverse Habitat
A diverse yard with a variety of plants will support a healthy insect population, providing a steady food source for dragonflies.
![](\"/assets/images/uploaded/Blog%20images/pexels-boris-radisic-889860072-25186261.jpg\")
5. Avoid Pesticides
Pesticides can harm dragonflies and other beneficial insects. Adopt natural gardening practices to maintain a healthy, chemical-free environment.
Conclusion
Building a dragonfly sanctuary in your yard is a beautiful and eco-friendly way to combat mosquitoes. By creating a water feature, incorporating aquatic plants, providing perching sites, fostering a diverse habitat, and avoiding pesticides, you can attract these remarkable predators and enjoy a mosquito-free yard.
\r\n \r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n","BodyOverview":"Discover the benefits of dragonflies as voracious predators and learn how to attract them to your yard by adding water features, aquatic plants, and perching sites, while promoting a diverse, pesticide-free environment. ","AllowComments":true,"NumberOfComments":0,"CreatedOn":"2024-07-30T21:05:33","Tags":["dragonflies","lawn care","mosquitoes"],"Comments":[],"AddNewComment":{"CommentText":null,"DisplayCaptcha":false,"Captcha":{"ReCaptchaChallengeField":null,"ReCaptchaResponseField":null,"ReCaptchaResponseValue":null,"ReCaptchaResponse":null},"Id":null,"UserFields":[]},"Id":"66ad4a1d832ee48344f4f01e","UserFields":[]},{"MetaKeywords":null,"MetaDescription":null,"MetaTitle":null,"SeName":"a-2024-tick-prevention-guide","Title":"A 2024 Tick Prevention Guide","PictureModel":{"ImageUrl":"/assets/images/thumbs/6684371c486220ee59c2a2f3_a-2024-tick-prevention-guide_750.jpeg","ThumbImageUrl":null,"FullSizeImageUrl":"/assets/images/thumbs/6684371c486220ee59c2a2f3_a-2024-tick-prevention-guide.jpeg","Title":"Show blog post for A 2024 Tick Prevention Guide","AlternateText":"Adult castor bean tick (Ixodes ricinus) caught in a glass vial.","Style":null,"ExtraField":null,"Id":"6684371c486220ee59c2a2f3","UserFields":[]},"Body":"\r\n
Ticks have always been a concern for homeowners and outdoor enthusiasts, but in 2024, the situation has become more challenging. In many parts of the country, increased precipitation and higher temperatures are contributing to a rise in tick populations. These climatic changes create ideal conditions for ticks to thrive, making it more important than ever to understand their current status and learn how to protect your yard and family from these pests.
Ticks are more than just a nuisance; they are vectors for diseases like Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, and babesiosis. There are two things to remember about the status of ticks in 2024:
Ok, tick season will be bad and may extend longer than usual. What can we do?
Creating a tick-free yard requires a combination of landscaping techniques and preventive measures:
![](\"/assets/images/uploaded/Blog%20images/Amblyomma_americanum_tick.jpg\")
Protecting yourself and your family from ticks involves being vigilant and proactive, especially during outdoor activities:
Staying informed and proactive is perhaps the most effective treatment in our battle against ticks. Taking a few extra measures to prepare your yard, your family, and yourself can save yourself from a nasty and annoying Lyme Disease-ridden headache.
\r\n \r\n\r\n","BodyOverview":"In 2024, rising temperatures and increased precipitation are fueling a surge in tick populations across the country. Discover the latest status of ticks, learn effective strategies to keep your yard tick-free, and find essential tips to protect your family from these dangerous pests","AllowComments":true,"NumberOfComments":0,"CreatedOn":"2024-07-01T13:21:22","Tags":["ticks"],"Comments":[],"AddNewComment":{"CommentText":null,"DisplayCaptcha":false,"Captcha":{"ReCaptchaChallengeField":null,"ReCaptchaResponseField":null,"ReCaptchaResponseValue":null,"ReCaptchaResponse":null},"Id":null,"UserFields":[]},"Id":"66843712486220ee59c2a23e","UserFields":[]},{"MetaKeywords":null,"MetaDescription":"Discover effective tips to keep you and your property tick-free this season. Learn how to protect your family and pets from ticks with our expert advice. Stay safe and enjoy the outdoors!","MetaTitle":null,"SeName":"tips-to-keep-you-and-your-property-tick-free","Title":"Tips to Keep You and Your Property Tick-Free","PictureModel":{"ImageUrl":"/assets/images/thumbs/666745c9b6074649f82cee8b_tips-to-keep-you-and-your-property-tick-free_750.jpeg","ThumbImageUrl":null,"FullSizeImageUrl":"/assets/images/thumbs/666745c9b6074649f82cee8b_tips-to-keep-you-and-your-property-tick-free.jpeg","Title":"Brown Tick on Green Leaf","AlternateText":"Brown Tick on Green Leaf","Style":null,"ExtraField":null,"Id":"666745c9b6074649f82cee8b","UserFields":[]},"Body":"\r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n
If you spend any time outside chances are you’ve had the unpleasant experience of running into a tick. Whether they’ve found their way onto you, your kids, or your pets, they’re never fun to deal with. They can even be carriers of very serious diseases. Rather than trying to fight them when you find them, let’s beat them at the source. Here are 5 tips to keep your property tick free.
1) Keep your property clean.
Taking away there hiding spots is one of the best things you can do to keep your property tick free. Just like us they like cozy warm spots to curl up in. Keeping piles of leaves, sticks, and other brush on your property will encourage the ticks to make a home there. By clearing them out with, say the Cyclone Rake, you’re leaving them with less places to hide. The same also applies to tall grass, keeping the grass short will limit hiding places for ticks.
2) Create physical barriers.
Just like back in the day with a moat around a castle, creating a barrier around your property can keep ticks out. Ticks will be less likely to migrate into your territory if you put down a strip of gravel or wood chips between your lawn and any wooded areas. Ticks have a hard time traveling over gravel and wood chips and can’t survive in it for long. Your “moat” should be at least three feet wide to be the most effective.
3) Sun is your friend!
Ticks are not fans of the sun, which means it’s a great natural tool for you to use to your advantage. Keeping things like play equipment, patio tables, and fire pits in the sun will reduce the possibility of you running into a tick. Just be sure to protect yourself from the sun as well while you’re out there.
4) Keep deer off your property.
Keeping deer off your property is a great step towards keeping your property tick free. Ticks like to hitch a ride on deer. The simplest way to keep deer off your property is to build a fence. Just like with ticks creating a physical barrier between your property and the deer will keep them at bay. There are also various deer repellent sprays on the market that can help keep the deer, and subsequently the ticks, away.
5) Try a different tactic.
You may find it’s time to spray your yard if other tactics aren’t ridding your property of ticks. The use of pesticides works similarly to the physical barriers we mentioned before. Spraying the perimeter of your property will make it harder to the ticks to cross over. Keep in mind that these are chemicals, so be sure to read any and all labels before use to make sure it’s right for your needs. You can also check in with your local health or agricultural officials to see what the best product and time to spray for your area is.
Now that we've covered how to prepare your yard, let's take a look at 4 quick tips to ensure you're protecting yourself when you go outdoors:
Check out the CDC’s page on Ticks for more information on the types of ticks, how to treat them, as well as a a ton of other helpful information.
Maybe you’ve heard the birds chirping more than usual outside. Or noticed the crisp winter air is slightly less chilling than it was a few weeks ago. This all means that spring is right around the corner. If the snow on your property has started to melt and you notice a web-like mold on your grass…. don’t freak out. It’s probably just a touch of snow mold.
So, What is Snow Mold?
Snow mold is exactly what it sounds like. It’s a type of mold, or fungus, that grows on your turf under melting snow. It’s the perfect environment for fungus to grow when snow starts to melt, and the grass underneath is constantly damp and cool.
It may look rather terrible, but it doesn’t actually do much damage. Most of the damage done to your grass by grey snow mold is only to the blades themselves, which is a more cosmetic damage. This means that the damage doesn’t go very deep, your grass can bounce back with a little bit of love. With regular mowing and fertilization your beloved green grass should recover all on its own.
It is a bit more worrisome. While it grows the same as its grey counterpart, under wet, melting snow, pink snow mold sinks a bit deeper. Unlike the grey variety that only interacts with the blades of your grass, pink snow mold will reach down and infect the crown and root of your grass. This makes it much harder, if not impossible, for your grass to bounce back with simple maintenance. You may find that you need to apply a fungicide to fully treat it.
When it comes to snow mold, prevention is your best line of defense. Remove anything on your property where it could make home before the snow even starts to fall. This means raking away any leaves, grass, or other debris that can add to the cover that snow provides. If you’re working with a large property where hand raking isn’t an option, check out our different Cyclone Rake models. They’ll allow you to effortlessly clear away the different debris on your property that allow snow mold to grow in those damp months.
\r\n \r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n","BodyOverview":"Notice a web-like mold on your grass after snow melt? Don't fret. We got you covered!","AllowComments":true,"NumberOfComments":0,"CreatedOn":"2019-03-03T23:00:00","Tags":[],"Comments":[],"AddNewComment":{"CommentText":null,"DisplayCaptcha":false,"Captcha":{"ReCaptchaChallengeField":null,"ReCaptchaResponseField":null,"ReCaptchaResponseValue":null,"ReCaptchaResponse":null},"Id":null,"UserFields":[]},"Id":"61809a4ea61b94086358b805","UserFields":[]}],"SearchKeyword":null,"UserFields":[]}