Ticks in Des Moines, IA

Deer-tick nymphs are at their peak alongside dog-tick adults. Midsummer is the busiest stretch: nymphal deer ticks peak in the woods while American dog-tick adults are active in grass and along trails.

Des Moines is 64% natural land cover (43% forest, plus open and brushy areas) across its 88.16 sq mi, home to about 210,381 people. That makes it the 4th-most wooded of the 17 towns in Polk County. Deer ticks live in wooded areas, along trail edges, and in tall grass: the more of that a town has, the more places ticks can quest.

Polk County reports about 3 Lyme cases per 100,000 people a year, the 0th-highest of 0 Midwest counties. That county-level disease pressure, combined with Des Moines's local habitat, sets how high its daily score can climb when the weather and season allow.

Do I need tick control in Des Moines?

Tick activity in Des Moines is moderate today (37/100). Ticks are out, especially along yard edges, leaf litter, and shady borders. A seasonal treatment plan keeps numbers down before peak weeks hit.

Professional tick control in Des Moines typically means a barrier treatment along the lawn edge, leaf litter, stone walls, and shady borders where ticks wait for a host, applied two to four times a season by a licensed pest control company. It is the single most effective way to cut tick numbers in the part of the yard your family actually uses.

How much does tick control cost in Des Moines?

Most homeowners pay about $100 to $200 per visit for professional tick spraying, or roughly $350 to $600 for a full season of barrier treatments, depending on lot size and how wooded the property is. Quotes are free, so it costs nothing to get a real number for your yard.

Yes. Deer-tick nymphs are at their peak alongside dog-tick adults. In Des Moines, today's risk reads moderate (37/100). Ticks are active. Use repellent, stick to trails, and do a tick check when you come inside.