FIELD GUIDE / 01
Find and remove standing water
Walk the property after rain and empty or turn over containers that collect water. Check saucers, buckets, toys and other small receptacles; clean clogged gutters so water can drain. Repeat checks because containers can refill.
Near Woodward Park or Swan Lake Park, inspect your own containers and gutters rather than assuming the park establishes breeding at your address. Tulsa Health Department conducts mosquito control in Tulsa County during spring and summer.
FIELD GUIDE / 02
Prevent tick bites outdoors
Ticks use wooded, grassy and brushy areas. Where the property backs onto wooded or brushy ground, keep the edges trimmed, then check people and pets after time outside. Tulsa Health Department identifies spring and summer as the highest bite-risk period for American dog ticks.
Use a repellent appropriate for the person and follow its label. Ask a veterinarian about suitable tick prevention for pets. If you find an attached tick, use fine-tipped tweezers close to the skin and pull upward steadily; clean the area and seek medical advice if symptoms or concerns arise.
FIELD GUIDE / 03
Ask what outdoor treatment covers
Ask a provider to inspect for water-holding containers and identify proposed treatment locations. Discuss drainage, vegetation and access before selecting a service. Mosquito and tick work have different targets; do not assume a mosquito program includes tick treatment.
Ask what product will be used, how it is applied, when people and pets may re-enter, and what precautions protect pollinators and water. Follow the product label and the provider’s instructions.
FIELD GUIDE / 04
Compare seasonal proposals
Compare the property area, number and timing of visits, source-reduction work, weather-related rescheduling and callback terms. Ask whether visits continue automatically and whether the price includes both mosquito and tick work. Tulsa-area costs run $50–$95 per visit; a per-visit price without the schedule is not comparable to a program price.
Continue emptying containers and checking for ticks even if you hire a provider: treatment does not remove every source of exposure.