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The Ultimate Guide to Rodent Control
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Spotted a grey tick? That term often means an engorged hard tick. Its body can swell and turn silvery grey while its front shield stays the same size.
I remember a road trip stop in tall grass. I came out with four ticks on my leg in minutes. It showed me how fast these pests can attach.
A family member and a former co-worker faced Lyme disease from ticks. Their long recovery taught me why quick home action matters.
The label “grey tick” isn’t a species name. It’s how we describe a swollen tick with a silvery-grey abdomen. The front shield, or scutum, never enlarges, so its pattern stays visible.
Engorged females often look grey or whitish-green after feeding. That optical change makes lay terms like “grey tick” or “silver tick” common in homes.
Ticks enter houses seeking hosts or hiding spots. Common reasons include:
You can learn more about tick ID at Ticks.
Hard ticks (Ixodidae) have a visible scutum and feed for days. You can see their mouthparts from above.
Soft ticks (Argasidae) lack a scutum, hide mouthparts underneath, and take short nocturnal meals.
Hard ticks move through egg, larva, nymph, and adult stages. Each stage needs a blood meal. After feeding, many females swell and change color.
The brown dog tick can complete its cycle indoors in weeks, not years.
Common grey-appearing ticks include:
Tick bites can spread Lyme disease and babesiosis.
They also transmit Rocky Mountain spotted fever and ehrlichiosis.
In our region, health agencies report hundreds of tick-borne illness cases each year.
Signs you may have grey ticks indoors:
Collect specimens in a sealed vial or on clear tape and submit to local diagnostic labs.
Distinguish them from Spiders or other bugs by checking for a scutum. See Are Arachnids Insects? The Key Differences Explained to learn more.
Use fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick at the skin line and pull straight up.
Disinfect the bite area and keep the tick for possible testing. According to the CDC, proper removal lowers infection risk.
Monitor health for 3–30 days. Early doxycycline treatment cuts complications if symptoms appear.
Start with these steps:
After cleaning, use EPA approved products we’d use in our own homes:
See our How Much Does Pest Control Cost? 2025 Service Price Guide for budget info.
Our registered technicians follow an Integrated Pest Management plan:
We serve:
Pets often bring brown dog ticks inside. Use a year-round program:
For integrated habitat tips, see Rodent Control Reston.
Modify your yard to cut tick numbers:
Remember these habits:
In apartments and condos, ticks can move through shared walls. All pet-owning units should coordinate treatment.
If selling a home, inspect for grey ticks on walls and disclose any infestations.
As a third-generation, family-owned company, the Schulz family built an in-house research team to review thousands of studies. We dropped 9 high-risk chemicals and added products like Essentria and borates.
This approach led to a 95% reduction in household tick reports within 12 months.
Don’t let grey ticks stay on your property. Call us at 703-683-2000 or email [email protected] for an estimate or questions.
A grey tick has an engorged, silvery-grey abdomen and a patterned scutum that stays small. It can swell to several times its flat size after feeding.
Yes. Grey ticks can carry Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and other illnesses. Quick removal and monitoring help reduce health risks.
Start with tick removal and deep cleaning. Vacuum, seal gaps, and wash fabrics. Then apply EPA approved treatments or contact a licensed technician.
Yes. Engorged hard ticks like black-legged ticks can transmit Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacterium that causes Lyme disease, during feeding.
Keep grass short, remove leaf litter, and install a mulch buffer. Use EPA-registered repellents on skin and clothing after yard work.
If you find engorged ticks indoors, see ticks crawling on walls, or get repeated bites. Registered technicians can inspect and treat effectively.
No. Foggers often miss ticks tucked under edges. Crack-and-crevice treatments with permethrin or professional barrier sprays work better.
With five years of hands-on experience in the pest control industry, George Schulz is a registered technician with the Virginia Pest Management Association and a proud third-generation professional in a family business that’s been protecting homes for over 57 years. He manages and trains a team of service pros while also leading internal research efforts—recently spearheading a deep-dive review of thousands of documents on pest control materials to hand-pick the most kid and pet friendly, most effective solutions tailored specifically for homes in the DC metro area. Read his bio.
