Hi there!

There are a number of products that can be used as yard spray for ticks. My preference is to apply mosquito spray to my lower legs and that usually solves the problem.

If you feel the need to use a yard spray, then I recommend starting with a pyrethroid of some sort. They are a group of reduced-risk insecticides that have low toxicity in mammals and are quite effective against insects & ticks. Pyrethroids are readily available from most home improvement stores and garden centers. The active ingredient usually ends in the suffix “thrin”. For example: bifenthrin, cyfluthrin, Cyhalothrin, Deltamethrin, Permethrin.

One thing to note is that pyrethroids are broad spectrum insecticides. They'll have a highly negative effect on pollinators and other beneficial insects in the treatment area. This is why I simply wear long pants and use mosquito spray (DEET) on my shoes, ankles and lower pant legs. I have found this tactic to be very effective. I'll still find a tick on myself every so often, but by and large, I usually emerge from gardening tick-free.

Hope that helps! Let me know if you have additional questions.

Products cedarcide or wondercide have natural oils.  Supposedly no harmful chemicals.  Any option on these

Hi Mike,

Ah, yes! Horticulturalists have been using oils to manage pests for a long time. I haven't seen efficacy data on those particular products, but some of my growers use botanical oils and other biopesticides to manage pests in the greenhouse. In general, they can be quite effective. Some things to note about botanical oils:

• Sprays usually needs to come into direct contact with the target pest in order to kill it.
• They are broad spectrum insecticides, so beneficial insects that are sprayed will be killed too (e.g. bees, insect predators, caterpillars, etc))
• One of the major benefits of bioinsecticides is that they usually have a very short residual time. This means that once the product dries on the foliage, it's probably not going to kill the insect. The smell, however, may repel a lot of things (including humans).
• Oils can cause phytotoxic damage to plants (i.e. you may notice some spray burn on the leaves and petals). This is not something I would use in the middle of the day when the sun is most intense.
  
  Bottom line: They have a much better environmental profile than pyrethroids. If the intention is to only spray the lawn, then I think you'll be fine.
  
  
  I noticed that cedarcide has an insect repellent product for humans and animals. I don't know if that will be as effective as DEET, but it's worth a try if you're looking to avoid mosquito spray.
  
  Hope that helps!