It’s an unpleasant but unavoidable truth: if you own a home, you’ll eventually end up sharing it with some unwelcome guests. And no—thankfully I’m not talking about unexpected humans hiding in the crawlspace. I mean insects. Tiny ones. The kind you can’t easily see, pick up, or escort politely outside.
I’ve never been much of a “bug person,” so the idea of coexisting with ants, spiders, earwigs, and whatever else decides to wander in makes my skin crawl. Still, I’ve accepted that most of these little squatters simply come with the territory. They’re not deliberately planning a home invasion—at least, I really hope not. That would be even worse.
But even with all my attempts at tolerance, there is one line I absolutely cannot cross: ticks. If anyone out there actually likes ticks, I’d love to meet them—mostly because I don’t believe they exist.
Ticks are infamous for spreading diseases and multiplying quickly, which makes them one of the most despised pests around. That’s why it’s important to know how to identify tick egg clusters and understand what to do if you spot them in your yard. Luckily, we’ve put together a quick, helpful guide to answer your biggest concerns.
Tick eggs are tiny—about the size of a poppy seed—so they’re easy to miss. They tend to be oval or pear-shaped, slightly transparent, and laid in clusters on plants, leaf litter, or other low surfaces. As they develop, they darken from pale yellow to light brown, becoming more opaque. Their surface is usually smooth and shiny.
So what should you do if you find them?
If your first instinct is to sprint around the house screaming… don’t worry, you’re not alone.
But seriously, because ticks can carry illnesses like Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever, it’s best to safely remove the eggs.
The safest approach is to contact a pest control specialist or consult a veterinarian for proper identification and instructions. No one wants to discover tick eggs in their yard—or any other area of their property—so taking steps to prevent them in the first place can make a big difference.
You can reduce tick presence by clearing plants that attract deer, such as tulips, hostas, and azaleas, since deer commonly carry ticks. Planting natural tick-repelling herbs like mint, rosemary, and chrysanthemums can also help. Keep your lawn trimmed, reduce dense brush, and store wood piles off the ground, as ticks prefer dark, humid areas to lay eggs.
Natural repellents can be useful too, and keeping small animals like mice and rabbits out of your yard can limit tick activity. Insecticides are another option, but they should be used carefully to avoid disrupting the local ecosystem.