With Spring here people are enjoying the outdoors more and adventuring more into parks and public areas, there are countless fun opportunities for us to take out dogs to: visits to the dog park where they can run and play with their friends, hiking trips to remote locations and a slew of other possibilities. One thing to keep in mind is that you will need to be vigilant and keep a keen eye on your dog’s fur because you would not want to bring an unwanted visitor to your home. Ticks! I am talking about them…
Sure there are several products in the market to keep pests away from your pets but I recently heard of an unusual and interesting one. I heard it from Randi, one of my co-workers. She is what I call an “angel on earth” – she fosters sick animals and gives them a loving home with kindness and unconditional love. Currently she fosters 12 sick and unwanted dogs and cats and she had a little tick infestation, so she was introduced to “Beneficial Nematodes”.
Courtesy of www.arbico-organics.com
Just the name sounded fun to me, so I decided to find out more.
What are Beneficial Nematodes? Well, they are microscopic, non-segmented worms, once released, the Beneficial Nematodes find their host, enter through body openings, emit a toxin that will kill the pest within 48 hours.
What do they attack? Nematodes actively search for insects, insect pupa and insect larvae in places that are constantly moist. They attach over 250 insects and pests such as Fleas, Ticks, and Chiggers.
There are several reputable companies that sell these. I found this one that offers free shipping and a good reading resource and they provide different nematodes for different areas of the country: ARBICO Organics.
Are they effective? The more I read, there more I believe yes, however it is important to get the correct amount for your yard and follow the instructions carefully. They are harmless to humans, animals and very beneficial to the environment. It cannot get much Greener than that!
