Complete Story
07/22/2026
Lone Star Tick - July 2026
Pest of the Month - Sponsored by Central Life Sciences
The lone star tick (Amblyomma americanum) is the most common human-biting tick in America, and it is no longer just a problem for the southern United States. Its range has expanded from the Southern United States into the Northeast, bringing with it a growing threat beyond the bite itself. Widely recognized by the single white dot located on the back of adult females, Lone star ticks actively seek hosts at all three life stages, each requiring a separate human or animal host to complete development. Their bites leave irritating, itchy wounds and can also lead the host to develop alpha-gal syndrome, producing a potentially life-threatening allergic reaction to red meat and dairy products. For Maryland PMPs, a thorough tick management control system can reduce these threats and help keep people and pets safe.
As the name suggests, Precor Outdoor F-T-M from Zoëcon Professional Products offers extensive control over fleas, ticks and mosquitoes. The micro-encapsulated formulation combines our pioneering insect growth regulator, (S)-methoprene, and tau-fluvalinate for immediate knockdown of ticks and over 50 outdoors pests.
Precor Outdoor F-T-M is approved for outdoor areas including residential lawns, commercial landscapes, parks, and other turf and ornamental sites, and it can be applied as a spot or crack-and-crevice spray or perimeter treatment. For dense harborage zones — leaf litter, tall grass, wooded edges, and mulch beds — apply as a drench at 10 gallons per 1,000 square feet to ensure penetration where ticks are actually hiding. Surface sprays alone do not reach them. For Maryland PMPs facing an expanding lone star population, it belongs in every seasonal tick program.
