Sylviatexas,

This is what I use (and you can google "beneficial nematodes" and read up on it.)

I buy these online or (if you are in a more populated area) get them at your local nursery. Follow the instructions for broadcasting these over your yard. They will rid your yard of fleas and ticks and other types of pests. They have also reduced my fire ant mounds. I put them out over two years ago and am just now beginning to see fleas on my dogs. As a matter of fact, I just received my order and will be putting them out early tomorrow morning. They are not toxic to humans or animals and have made my dogs much more comfortable. I understand that they are also good for garden pests on your plants. Between this treatment and treating my animal watering troughs with a small amount of chlorine for mosquito control, my dogs are very happy campers.

Let me know what you think.

Pat

I am not aware of any way to kill ticks and not other insects, except by targeting them directly with some sort of insecticide spray or whatever. All insecticides target things that all insects have (chitin, nervous system, etc) so there isn't a way to selectively kill ticks.

I can't think of a good reason to kill ticks on the ground that aren't bothering anyone. If the pets are protected and you do thorough tick-checks for yourself, then you don't have anything to worry about. Ticks are food for birds too, so killing them would have a bad effect on the bird population too.

Guinea hens are great natural tick controls. They'll keep a yard nice and bug free. They'll even eat tomato hornworms, and there's precious little that will do that.

I was going to suggest Guinea hens! Chickens and Ducks will also eat ticks, but I've always heard Guinea hens are the best.