The deer tick and dog tick are both common in Eastern Massachusetts. The deer tick is a known carrier of Lyme disease and is found mostly in wooded or overgrown areas, but can and will infest manicured areas as well. The more common dog tick is larger and can be a carrier for Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Tick control is fairly easy to achieve if the proper areas are treated every 60 days from late March to early November. While a good idea in in some cases, it is a misconception that you MUST treat for rodents outside of the house to adequately control the tick populations on your property. Don’t be fooled into doing more than is necessary to reduce tick numbers in your yard.