&$(%*&@$ TICKS!

[oldboyscout]

Is it just me or have ticks been way worse than EVER. I spent all the time I could in the woods for the last 47 years and NEVER saw a tick (NE PA). Now I go out to stack firewood and I have one attached. It's been ridiculous the last few years.
I don't know how I'm going to live in the country if I can't go outside without needing an antibiotic.

 

[Dan Hunter]

I use Permethrin. I use a 35 day tick and flea dip at the prescribed solution and spray it on clothes and bag them in a trash bag to brew. Never had a tick attach using it. It arrests their respiration, a death I find satisfying. Read the directions, specifically keep it away from cats.

 

[Depmandog]

Here in Missouri we have always had ticks, but I too have noticed they seem to have gotten worse.

I had one attached to my tricep for a few hours this spring before I found it. I still have a bump where that little sucker was. Its almost gone, but it's been close to 7 months.

Keep a can of Off in the truck to use - that's the only way I can keep them off me. But no worries now, it's 19 degrees out!!

 

[Western]

I use Deep woods off high DTT content, hardly ever get them wearing this stuff.

 

[oldboyscout]

do we really have to keep ourselves sprayed with chemicals all the the time to be outside?

 

[Dan Hunter]

Yeah, I don't spray myself - just the clothes. It's nothing more than starching your shirt and no ironing. The stuff lasts for the duration of wearing and some people consider it viable after a washing or so.

 

[marimus]

You can get a spray to treat your yard with too if they are thick around the house. :thumbsup:

 

[Alien]

Get yourself some south african Guinea Fowls. You won't have any more ticks. We have had them for 7 years now and no ticks. We bought our first ones off an old fella that had a tick infested block of land. He bought some Guinea fowls and no more problems. Only problem with the tough little buggers is the girls can be noisy in mating season but we are on 40 acres so there are no neighbours to worry about. We just hatched another 18 keats 2 days ago and I found another nest with 25 eggs in it the same day.
Worst comes to worst, you can eat them and their eggs. They are a delicacy in some retaurants.

Marimus, as you are a local, Webzone works really well.

 

[Tollster]

Yea I know, I picked 12 off the dog after a 1 hour hike. The vet said she has been seeing at least 2 dogs a day that test positive for lymes. Now go delouse!

 

[MossflowerWoods]

Get yourself some south african Guinea Fowls. You won't have any more ticks. We have had them for 7 years now and no ticks. We bought our first ones off an old fella that had a tick infested block of land. He bought some Guinea fowls and no more problems. Only problem with the tough little buggers is the girls can be noisy in mating season but we are on 40 acres so there are no neighbours to worry about. We just hatched another 18 keats 2 days ago and I found another nest with 25 eggs in it the same day.
Worst comes to worst, you can eat them and their eggs. They are a delicacy in some retaurants.

Marimus, as you are a local, Webzone works really well.

We have not had a tick since the day the guinea's arrived.

They REALLY work. My daughters HATE ticks.

David

 

[forgeblast]

Pretty bad the last couple of years, the day i pulled one out of my daughters ear, (really her ear) i had one bite me on the stomach.

two Doxycycline tablets is what they are recommending. ( a buddy of mine called the lyme research center at cornell after his kid was bit.)

 

[wrflt]

Is it just me or have ticks been way worse than EVER. I spent all the time I could in the woods for the last 47 years and NEVER saw a tick (NE PA). Now I go out to stack firewood and I have one attached. It's been ridiculous the last few years.
I don't know how I'm going to live in the country if I can't go outside without needing an antibiotic.

In my part of Ga., they have been awful for the last few years. This year, my little dog and I are still having problems with them this late in the season.

I'm like others here, spraying my clothes with Deep Woods Off. That seems to keep them off me, but my poor little dog.....

 

[RoyJackson]

This has been a really wet year...brings 'em to the surface and yep, more ticks.
Good for the birds though...

 

[smstonypoint]

In my part of Ga., they have been awful for the last few years. This year, my little dog and I are still having problems with them this late in the season.

I'm like others here, spraying my clothes with Deep Woods Off. That seems to keep them off me, but my poor little dog.....

I need to learn more about tick biology.

I had never had a tick problem after a killing frost. This year is different -- I've found 6 on my Lab pup after lows in the upper 20's. It looks like I might have to treat her with a topical tick control product year round.

Steve

 

[chucko]

Last year and the year before they have been bad here. Never even hardly saw one before then

 

[Tollster]

I need to learn more about tick biology.

I had never had a tick problem after a killing frost. This year is different -- I've found 6 on my Lab pup after lows in the upper 20's. It looks like I might have to treat her with a topical tick control product year round.

Steve

I have me doubts about those topicals, as I have been very adamant about treating my 3 year since he was 6 months old, last spring he was positive for lymes. The other issue about them is that I had treated my lab of 13 years since he was a young dog as well,he ended up with cancer.
I am not sure that caused it, but I don't recall dogs having cancer growing up, and it seems more and more have cancer of the lymph nodes, and if its so good for your dog,why do they triple wrap the package and warn against you getting any on yourself.
I would be interested in independent studies for long term exposure and dogs.

 

[dmccarty]

I have used Permethrin to treat the clothes. The treatment lasts at least 3-4 months of wash/wear cycles. For some reason I have not been treating and using DEET instead. Both work but I have to spray DEET every time I go work. I looked at the farm supply for Permethrin for years and had to buy it at REI. Recently I noticed the supply store had the stuff in stock.

The deer at our place are infested with ticks. Their ears are simply covered with ticks. It is really sickening.

My two cents is that as the deer population has exploded so have the ticks. The only real way to control the ticks that I can see is with fire but since the fires are suppressed the tick load is never reduced.

Until winter, walking in the woods and even the grass requires chemical protection. If the ticks do not get you the chiggers will.

I have known of ticks getting on a person with almost 24 inches of snow on the ground.

Guineas are noisy critters. Some neighbors about 75 of them years ago. They lasted maybe 18 months before the last one was gone. The foxes, coyotes, hawks, and owls ate good for a good year or so. :laughing:

Ticks are still here.

Later,
Dan

 

[wrflt]

My two cents is that as the deer population has exploded so have the ticks. The only real way to control the ticks that I can see is with fire but since the fires are suppressed the tick load is never reduced.
Later,
Dan

Now this makes sense.....

 

[forgeblast]

I was watching a show on the AT Appalachian Trail and they were saying that due to the snakes, especially rattlesnakes being displaced there are more mice which are a huge vector for ticks, which then pass them on up to larger animals.

 

[Western]

I don't know what is worse, ticks or chiggers. Most of the time I can feel a tick, but chigger's dam#. I use the deep woods OFF usually only on my pants from the waist down. I have also sprayed a light coat on my dogs in summer when the mesquites are bad, I don't soak them in it, just a quick pass, works pretty good too.