[aethertap]

I live in tick central, and for anyone else in that situation who doesn't already have a tick mitigation strategy, here's what I do (and I'd love to hear other things that work that aren't on the list):

1. Clear all debris (wood chips, leaves, etc) from places people frequent, and keep the grass cut short

2. Permethrin-laced cotton balls inside PVC tubes scattered liberally around the area. Small animals pick these up and make nests out of them, which kills the ticks while they're on the rodent hosts.

3. Permethrin on footwear, and safe insect repellent (DEET or picaridin, also geranium oil seems to help) on skin and lower-half clothing

4. Chickens in the yard seem to eat more than they host

5. Daily checks for everybody in the house