Pest Control: Tick Treatment

Ticks prefer to live in woods, tall grass, weeds and brush. They climb onto low vegetation and attach to suitable hosts which pass by, including pets and people. Ticks are seldom a problem in well-maintained lawns although edges of property supporting tall weeds and brush can be a source of infestation. The best way to avoid acquiring ticks is through prevention:

Avoid walking through uncut fields, brush and other areas likely to harbor ticks. When hiking or picnicing in these areas, wear long pants tucked into socks and consider using tick repellents. Walk in the center of mowed trails to avoid brushing up against vegetation. 
Inspect family and pets after being in tick-infested areas, and promptly remove any ticks which are found (ticks most often attach at the neck and scalp). Use the method of removal described below. 
Keep grass and shrubs in your yard trimmed, and clear overgrown vegetation from edges of your property. Ticks avoid direct sunlight and will not infest areas which are well maintained. 
Free-roaming pets are much more likely to become infested with ticks than are those which are confined. Pets may be treated with insecticide dips or sprays, although these products generally lose effectiveness in about a week. 
Treating lawns is of little benefit since this is not a preferred habitat for ticks. If insecticides are used, treatment should be concentrated in areas where pets, rodents, and other potential wild hosts of ticks are likely to frequent, e.g., dog house, fenceline, and along margins between wooded or brushy areas and the lawn. Carbaryl (Sevin), chlorpyrifos, and diazinon are effective materials, as is permethrin. Make 1-2 applications -- the first during April or May when ticks are detected, and another, if needed, in early July. A good way to determine if ticks are present is to drag a 3x3-ft white flannel or cotton sheet through suspected areas. Ticks will attach to the sheet and be visible against the white background.