repelling ticks

[+davethis]

This thread got me thinking...

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=171630

 

Do you have to spray DEET on every square inch to repel ticks? In other words, if I only sprayed myself with DEET but missed an arm or half an arm, could they still attach themselves to that untreated space. I know with mosquitoes you can just spray DEET on most of your body and it will repel them.

 

Also, is OFF with 30% DEET good to repel them?

 

A co-worker has Lyme, and I have seen what she as good though, and I do not wish that on anyone.

 

Thanks,

Dave

[+GreenMountainTreasureHunters]

DEET will tend to repel ticks, but it is not a guarantee. We tend to spray socks and shoes, and not entire bodies, as I'm not convinced all the DEET exposure is that great either.

 

The most important thing for Lyme prevention is daily, thorough, tick checks, no matter how much repellent you use. That way you may notice a tick before it attaches, or catch it shortly after it attaches. If a tick has been attached for fewer than 24 hours, it usually cannot pass on the lyme infection. So if you are vigilant about getting the ticks off (without squeezing them) you should be ok even if some do manage to attach.

 

Good luck!

[+Markwell]

Permethrin, Sawyer's brand. Here's a thread.

[+VAEaglesFan]

This thread got me thinking...

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=171630

 

Do you have to spray DEET on every square inch to repel ticks? In other words, if I only sprayed myself with DEET but missed an arm or half an arm, could they still attach themselves to that untreated space. I know with mosquitoes you can just spray DEET on most of your body and it will repel them.

 

Also, is OFF with 30% DEET good to repel them?

 

A co-worker has Lyme, and I have seen what she as good though, and I do not wish that on anyone.

 

Thanks,

Dave

 

Repel and Off are both good products. Deet isn't a health issue, unless you're putting near/on your face a lot. It's the inhaling of Deet (so I've heard) that is the dangerous part. Went out this weekend and sprayed only open skin, not clothing. No ticks, but LOTS (like whole feet covered) of chiggers. I recommend that you spray all of you, even your clothing. They like your feet and waist band areas. I live on 17 acres and this is the 1st real problem I've had. Ticks are standard, but the chiggers are the worst thing I've ever experienced.

 

Cindy

[+OEnavigators]

This thread got me thinking...

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=171630

 

Do you have to spray DEET on every square inch to repel ticks? In other words, if I only sprayed myself with DEET but missed an arm or half an arm, could they still attach themselves to that untreated space. I know with mosquitoes you can just spray DEET on most of your body and it will repel them.

 

Also, is OFF with 30% DEET good to repel them?

 

A co-worker has Lyme, and I have seen what she as good though, and I do not wish that on anyone.

 

Thanks,

Dave

 

Repel and Off are both good products. Deet isn't a health issue, unless you're putting near/on your face a lot. It's the inhaling of Deet (so I've heard) that is the dangerous part. Went out this weekend and sprayed only open skin, not clothing. No ticks, but LOTS (like whole feet covered) of chiggers. I recommend that you spray all of you, even your clothing. They like your feet and waist band areas. I live on 17 acres and this is the 1st real problem I've had. Ticks are standard, but the chiggers are the worst thing I've ever experienced.

 

Cindy

 

Chiggers are a nightmare. We always spray deet over all our exposed skin and on our clothes. We didn't spray our clothes earlier this year and the little buggers found there way in all the time.

I read an article on Backpacker magazine and they tested a lot of repellents the best ones containing 30% deet. Anything over that was basically overkill.

[+briansnat]

DEET helps but it doesn't always work. I've seen ticks crawling on my DEET soaked legs.

 

If you are serious about repelling ticks, spray your clothing with a Permethrin based repellent, your skin with DEET, wear light color clothes (so you can see them easily) and if you don't mind the high geek look factor, tuck your pant legs into your socks.

 

Even with all that, you should do a full body check when you arrive home.

[+Dolfy]

Ticks are standard, but the chiggers are the worst thing I've ever experienced.

 

Cindy

 

Those are the WORST!!!! I'm dealing with them now and never want to again. Anyone have any good tips on relieving this agony??

[+mousekakat]

Ticks are standard, but the chiggers are the worst thing I've ever experienced.

 

Cindy

 

Those are the WORST!!!! I'm dealing with them now and never want to again. Anyone have any good tips on relieving this agony??

 

Folk remedy is to dab clear (or colored if you want to make a fashion statement) nail polish over each spot.

[+Dolfy]

Folk remedy is to dab clear (or colored if you want to make a fashion statement) nail polish over each spot.

 

I can see it now.. Next time I wear shorts I'll be all polka dotted!

 

Gonna try the clear nail polish....

[+badlands]

Ticks are standard, but the chiggers are the worst thing I've ever experienced.

 

Cindy

 

Those are the WORST!!!! I'm dealing with them now and never want to again. Anyone have any good tips on relieving this agony??

 

Don't scratch ..... it only makes it worse.

 

I know, that's like saying "don't breath", but it's the best thing you can/can't do.

 

I've tried cortisone creams and calamine lotions with some success, but the "don't scratch" is the best option if you can bear it.

[+Knobhiker]

Ticks are standard, but the chiggers are the worst thing I've ever experienced.

 

Cindy

 

Those are the WORST!!!! I'm dealing with them now and never want to again. Anyone have any good tips on relieving this agony??

 

Folk remedy is to dab clear (or colored if you want to make a fashion statement) nail polish over each spot.

 

I second the nail polish remedy. Beginning geocaching introduced me to chiggers. They love to be off trail. Mucking about and standing in one place gives them the chance they need to crawl up your pant leg. Treat at THE FIRST SIGN of a chigger bite. Otherwise they last for WEEKS!

 

If you don't want to tuck your pant leg in, use rubberbands or bicyclers' pants clips. Forget the shorts! I never liked shorts for rugged outdoor activity. The Croc. Hunter was not using his head when he went every where in those khaki shorts.

[+Lacomo]

I agree with briansnat. Permethrin is the way to go. It's all I ever use. Spray in on my clothes. Go real heavy on the clothes from the waist down and and especially around shoes and socks.

[mtbikernate]

Permethrin is great stuff. I treat all my hiking clothing with it every year now. I don't much bother with repellents for ticks, though. The insecticide and frequent body checks do it for me.

 

Spot treatment seems to work for some of the flying nasties (for mosquitoes, treat exposed skin; for black flies, treat your hat, ears, neck; for deer flies, wear a hat with a big brim), but not so well for ticks. I got a deer tick this year on my upper arm. The only thing that would have prevented it would have been wearing long sleeves because the woods were so exceedingly wet, any repellent would have washed right off. At any rate, it was no biggie...I found the little bugger a minute or so after it bit me (I actually felt the bite) and I flicked it off. If I hadn't found it then, I would have found it in the shower 15 min later.

[+Isonzo Karst]

use repellents containing DEET, insecticides containing permethrin, or a combination of the two. You can apply a DEET solution on your skin, your clothing, or both to repel ticks. Applying it on your shoes, socks, and lower legs will deter most ticks. Permethrin, sold under brand names like Permanone and Duranon is applied to clothing. It's not effective when used on skin because our skin deactivates it rapidly. Permethrin will both repel ticks and kill those that come in contact with it. When applied to clothing, permethrin's effectiveness lasts for a couple weeks and through a couple washings.

 

from this site. I didn't know that the nymphs of some tick species bite and you're unlikely to notice.