If you have outdoor pets in Kingsland, Marble Falls, or anywhere along the Highland Lakes, you already know this. The deer density alone means ticks are around most of the year, and a single flea-carrying animal that passes through the yard can start a yard infestation that takes months to clear. The Hill Country does not get cold enough, long enough, to give homeowners a real seasonal break from either parasite.
Quick answer
Flea and tick control requires treating your pets with a veterinarian-recommended product, treating the yard where infestations build (shaded areas, tall grass, along fences), and if fleas are inside, a professional interior treatment with an insect growth regulator to stop re-infestation from hatching eggs.
Dealing with this right now?
Dealing with fleas in the house or ticks taking over the yard? ACI Pest & Lawn treats flea and tick infestations across the Highland Lakes. Request a service visit and we will put together a plan that covers the yard and the house together.
See how we handle it on our fleas & ticks page.
Why Fleas and Ticks Are Worse Here
The Highland Lakes area sits in a zone with mild winters, abundant white-tailed deer, and thick cedar and native brush. Deer tick (also called black-legged tick) and the Lone Star tick both thrive here. Deer are the primary host for adult stages of many tick species, and the Hill Country has one of the highest deer densities in the country.
Fleas survive winters outdoors in central Texas that would kill them further north. They also have an indoor refuge: once fleas get into the house, pre-adult stages (eggs, larvae, pupae) develop in carpet fibers, under furniture, and in bedding. Those pre-adult stages are invisible and can remain dormant for months, which is why a house can re-infest weeks after a treatment if the development cycle is not interrupted.
Ticks Common in This Area
The Lone Star tick is the most frequently encountered tick in central Texas. It is aggressive, questing from ground level and from vegetation, and both adults and nymphs feed on people. The adult female has a distinctive white spot on the back. Lone Star ticks have been associated with Alpha-gal syndrome, a meat allergy triggered by tick bites.
The black-legged tick (deer tick) is smaller and brown, and it is the species that transmits Lyme disease and several co-infections including anaplasmosis. It is present in the Hill Country and requires checking carefully after time outdoors.
- Check for ticks after any time in brushy or wooded areas, including your own yard if it backs up to cedar or native vegetation.
- Remove a tick with fine-tipped tweezers, grasping close to the skin surface and pulling upward steadily. Do not twist or crush.
- Save the tick in a sealed bag if you want it identified later.
- Contact a doctor if you develop a rash, fever, or flu-like symptoms within weeks of a known tick bite.
Getting Control of a Flea Infestation
Treating one part of the problem without the others does not work. The three pieces are the pet, the yard, and the house.
For the pet: use a veterinarian-recommended flea prevention product consistently. Oral treatments and spot-ons that are effective against both adult fleas and eggs are available by prescription. This is the most important piece. A pet that keeps picking up fleas from the yard will re-infest the house continuously.
For the yard: flea populations concentrate in shaded, humid areas where pets rest, along fence lines, under decks, and in tall grass. A yard treatment targeting those zones reduces the reservoir that re-infests your pet. Mowing regularly and raking up leaf debris takes away the habitat.
For the house: if fleas are established indoors, professional treatment with an insect growth regulator (IGR) in addition to an adulticide is the standard approach. The IGR prevents flea eggs and larvae from developing into adults, which breaks the cycle. A single treatment without an IGR often leads to a re-infestation three to four weeks later when the next generation hatches.
Prep for Interior Flea Treatment
Interior flea treatment requires some prep to be effective. Vacuum everything, especially under furniture, along baseboards, and in areas where pets rest. Dispose of the vacuum bag immediately. Wash pet bedding. The technician needs access to all carpeted areas, so pick up items off the floor. Plan to leave the home during treatment and for the time your technician specifies.
Keep in mind you may see a temporary increase in adult fleas for a week or two after treatment as pupae hatch and contact the residual. This is normal and expected. The IGR is taking care of the pre-adult stages that would otherwise replace them.