What is this little bump on your skin?
Oh, gosh.
It's a tick.
And there's another one.
They're everywhere.
And ticks can do more than
bury their heads in your skin
and drink your blood.
They can cause severe
damage to your organs
and even kill you.
But don't worry,
we've got you covered.
Ticks are smart arachnids
that live in warm, moist areas.
And they only feed on blood.
Some of these little vampires
crouch and wait,
hiding in bushes and grass,
waiting for a victim to pounce on.
Others hunt you viciously.
Each female can lay thousands of eggs,
so all it takes is for one tick
to get onto your clothes
or under your skin
to cause an infestation in your home.
And guess what?
Some of them can infect you
with Lyme’s Disease
or the deadly Rocky Mountain
Spotted Fever.
So we collected the best tips
to help you survive
a tick infestation at home.
And no, my friend,
those little tweezers
won’t be enough to save you
this time.
Everytime you go outdoors
you’re an easy prey for ticks,
so you need to dress appropriately.
The more skin you cover on your body,
the safer you’ll be
from these little vampires
getting into your home.
Use long sleeves and pants.
Close the access to your body
with some kind of ties
or, well,
putting your pant into your socks.
That might not be sexy,
but it’ll keep you safe.
When you get back home,
put every piece of clothing
in the washing machine
and take a deep shower
to wash any invader off.
If you have a garden
or live surrounded by nature,
you should build a barrier
around your garden to prevent
unwanted animals from entering it.
They can carry these
dangerous critters with them.
You should keep your grass mowed
and free of debris.
And don't throw old furniture
or mattresses there.
Build a gravel barrier
between your house and lawn.
This will separate your home
from the hot, humid environment
that ticks depend on
and prevent ticks
from migrating into your home.
Some species of ticks,
like the American dog tick
or the Rocky Mountain wood tick,
can transmit deadly diseases.
Both transmit the deadly
Rocky Mountain spotted fever.
It's the most dangerous
tick-borne disease
according to the U.S.
Centers for Disease Control.
If the ticks invading your home
are brown with a light-colored
mark on their backs,
you should collect one
and rush to the hospital.
The tick could be one of these
two deadly species.
If you find a tick in
your home,
immediately check every corner
of the house.
Look for the dampest and warmest spots.
Clean the places
where your pets hang out.
And check yourself
and your pet for ticks.
They prefer warm,
moist areas
such as the armpits, groin,
scalp
and nape of the neck.
But what if there are too many of them?
If ticks have taken over,
you'll have to fight back.
Fortunately, almost all pesticides
can kill these invaders.
So you can arm yourself
at your local store
and wipe out these suckers.
But not all blood-sucking
creatures are so easy to get rid of.
Bed bugs can be really stubborn.
Some people have even died by suicide
after their homes became infested.
Want to know their story?
Just keep watching.