Ticks! Ticks! Ticks! A recurring thread

July 29, 2011

I might be going caching tomorrow, in a dense vegetation local park w/ 35 caches in it, but problem is, that Ticks live there. Sure, Ticks live everywhere, but as long as I'm unaware of it, Im okay. Im terrified of Ticks. Everything about 'em. The legs, the arachnid like mouth, the round flat thorax, etc. I looked at wikipedia to see if it had any information to avoid them. But whoever wrote that article didn't help at all. I almost felt like editing the whole page saying "ticks are just little rainbows in disguise" But i didn't. :unsure:

All wikipedia had was a huge deer tick on a leaf saying "ticks sit on leaves and attatch to their host when something brushes the leaf. And we cachers even stick our hands into unknown places which might have a horde of tick eating the remains of a deer eyeball.

One more peice of information that I found "useful" (Im being sarcastic) was a picture of a tick sitting on a toddlers scalp and engorging on his scalp flesh. I wasn't a pretty picture. Who knows who took that picture.

Anyway, I need some help on how to help avoid ticks other than that spray on repellent. Any?

July 29, 2011

A hat?

1k · July 29, 2011

Anyway, I need some help on how to help avoid ticks other than that spray on repellent. Any?

Cache in the winter.

No, I got one on me during a warm spell in the winter. I hate the little buggers. They climb up your pant legs and end up burrowing into places that you really dont want bugs burrowing into. I pretty much gave up caching for much of last summer.

Permethrin spray is the only thing I've found that works.

Edited July 29, 2011 by John in Valley Forge

2.5k · July 29, 2011

Around here, it's either stay inside or have a good removal tool. I recommend Ticked Off.

July 29, 2011

A hat?

Not that I would find it nice to find a tick frantically trying to dig into my hat, but maybe.

July 29, 2011

Anyway, I need some help on how to help avoid ticks other than that spray on repellent. Any?

Cache in the winter.

No, I got one on me during a warm spell in the winter. I hate the little buggers. They climb up your pant legs and end up burrowing into places that you really dont want bugs burrowing into. I pretty much gave up caching for much of last summer.

Permethion {sic} spray is the only thing I've found that works.

Thanks, I feel better that you live on the other side of the US than me Even though they live everywhere.

Its smack dab in the middle of the summer, but the summer here has been rainy and cold the past few weeks. That may be a good sign.

July 29, 2011

This made me feel a little better.

http://www.city-data.com/forum/seattle-area/331604-ticks-seattle-area.html

DId a lil more research and found out that deer ticks (the gruseome ones on wikipedia) are most populous in my area. That drowned my unfear fear of ticks.

19k · July 29, 2011

Not much besides spray-on repellants (DEET for the skin, permethrin for the clothing). Tuck your socks in your shoes, and do a tick check (as well as possible, at least) whenever you exit tall grass. Light-colored clothing not only makes them easier to spot, but also does not attract mosquitoes as much as dark clothing will. Do a full, thorough, stark-naked tick check as soon as you get home. Throw the clothes in the washer or a plastic garbage bag (sealed). Check your car seats for ticks that may have come off while driving.

July 29, 2011

wear white so you can see them better - better yet! get those white paper suits and when you take them off no need to wash

I brought a tick home on the plane one time. Went out caching, showered, dried off good with a towel, slept, showered and put on fresh clothes, flew home and found him stuck to my upper back. little brat.

July 29, 2011

Do a full, thorough, stark-naked tick check as soon as you get home.

why wait until you get home?

7k · July 29, 2011

Stay away from bushes and tall grass. Obviously not an option when geocaching, but otherwise it works fine.

July 29, 2011

I might be going caching tomorrow, in a dense vegetation local park w/ 35 caches in it, but problem is, that Ticks live there. Sure, Ticks live everywhere, but as long as I'm unaware of it, Im okay. Im terrified of Ticks. Everything about 'em. The legs, the arachnid like mouth, the round flat thorax, etc. I looked at wikipedia to see if it had any information to avoid them. But whoever wrote that article didn't help at all. I almost felt like editing the whole page saying "ticks are just little rainbows in disguise" But i didn't.

All wikipedia had was a huge deer tick on a leaf saying "ticks sit on leaves and attatch to their host when something brushes the leaf. And we cachers even stick our hands into unknown places which might have a horde of tick eating the remains of a deer eyeball.

One more peice of information that I found "useful" (Im being sarcastic) was a picture of a tick sitting on a toddlers scalp and engorging on his scalp flesh. I wasn't a pretty picture. Who knows who took that picture.

Anyway, I need some help on how to help avoid ticks other than that spray on repellent. Any?

which park? lord hill?

July 29, 2011

I might be going caching tomorrow, in a dense vegetation local park w/ 35 caches in it, but problem is, that Ticks live there. Sure, Ticks live everywhere, but as long as I'm unaware of it, Im okay. Im terrified of Ticks. Everything about 'em. The legs, the arachnid like mouth, the round flat thorax, etc. I looked at wikipedia to see if it had any information to avoid them. But whoever wrote that article didn't help at all. I almost felt like editing the whole page saying "ticks are just little rainbows in disguise" But i didn't.

All wikipedia had was a huge deer tick on a leaf saying "ticks sit on leaves and attatch to their host when something brushes the leaf. And we cachers even stick our hands into unknown places which might have a horde of tick eating the remains of a deer eyeball.

One more peice of information that I found "useful" (Im being sarcastic) was a picture of a tick sitting on a toddlers scalp and engorging on his scalp flesh. I wasn't a pretty picture. Who knows who took that picture.

Anyway, I need some help on how to help avoid ticks other than that spray on repellent. Any?

which park? lord hill?

yep.

July 29, 2011

A hat?

A hat does help. I wear one. Also I wear (if possible) long pants and a shirt with long sleaves, but still had four ticks last Tuesday and one last Thursday (Thursday it was rainy weather, so less problems with ticks).

During sunny weather I also use a spray (DEET). After caching a good shower and a good body check.

3.3k · July 29, 2011

I have never encountered any ticks in the western Washington lowlands. Only had a small number of them in the mountains and usually near the snow line during spring/summer melt.

July 29, 2011

I have never encountered any ticks in the western Washington lowlands. Only had a small number of them in the mountains and usually near the snow line during spring/summer melt.

Good to know.

July 29, 2011

We've both lived here all our lives and we know of only one unfortunate who managed to pick up a tick in Western WA. Portions of Eastern WA are a different story. You can see our log for Coyote Lookout if you want to read about the Great Tick Panic of 2011. Do not Google ticks on your smartphone after they have been sighted crawling around inside your vehicle. It only makes it worse.

July 29, 2011

There's a lot of tick advice on the internet that a short google search will be able to provide you with. I hadn't even considered ticks to be a problem until I saw a thread on here where people were saying how often they'd been latched onto. *shudders*. Since then I've done some research and at all times whilst I'm caching carry with me a baseball cap (they are likely to get through wool hats), double layered snowboarding gloves that I had laying about, antibacterial wipes and a removal tool that cost me £4 and came recommended by every tick expert out there. Might sound a little over the top but the stuff I read really made me feel ill, I don't want to be latched on by one of those blood suckers and if I ever am I want to be prepared.

July 29, 2011

I have a way of removing ticks that is quick and painless - no tools required. You put slight pressure on the tick and rub in a circular motion for about a minute. The tick will back out completely and then you can dispose of it. You're welcome (yes it does work on any person or animal).

2.3k · July 29, 2011

Not much besides spray-on repellants (DEET for the skin, permethrin for the clothing). Tuck your socks in your shoes, and do a tick check (as well as possible, at least) whenever you exit tall grass. Light-colored clothing not only makes them easier to spot, but also does not attract mosquitoes as much as dark clothing will. Do a full, thorough, stark-naked tick check as soon as you get home. Throw the clothes in the washer or a plastic garbage bag (sealed). Check your car seats for ticks that may have come off while driving.

I'm in agreement with Knowschad here. I do the DEET/permethrin combo and haven't had a tick on me all season. Much of my caching takes place in wooded areas or in vegetation. I treat my shoes and socks as well. I usually do a less than thorough tick check after the last cache I do while at the car.

I typically wear dark colored clothing but I know light colors work better. I also wear a cap if I'm going to be in vegetation over my head. Harder for them to go right to the scalp. And I keep my hair pulled back tightly so I can get to ticks on my neck faster and they have to work hard to get down to skin as well. I do spray my hat and if I'm going to shower soon my hair as well.

I'll wear a hoodie in the summer sometimes too if I'm going to be amongst a lot of branches. Again treated with permethrin and underneath I'm treated with DEET.

When I get home the clothes come off, shoes are left outside. Clothes typically go right into the washer and then dryer. I go right into the shower after which a thorough tick check occurs.

July 29, 2011

Not much besides spray-on repellants (DEET for the skin, permethrin for the clothing). Tuck your socks in your shoes, and do a tick check (as well as possible, at least) whenever you exit tall grass. Light-colored clothing not only makes them easier to spot, but also does not attract mosquitoes as much as dark clothing will. Do a full, thorough, stark-naked tick check as soon as you get home. Throw the clothes in the washer or a plastic garbage bag (sealed). Check your car seats for ticks that may have come off while driving.

I'm in agreement with Knowschad here. I do the DEET/permethrin combo and haven't had a tick on me all season. Much of my caching takes place in wooded areas or in vegetation. I treat my shoes and socks as well. I usually do a less than thorough tick check after the last cache I do while at the car.

I typically wear dark colored clothing but I know light colors work better. I also wear a cap if I'm going to be in vegetation over my head. Harder for them to go right to the scalp. And I keep my hair pulled back tightly so I can get to ticks on my neck faster and they have to work hard to get down to skin as well. I do spray my hat and if I'm going to shower soon my hair as well.

I'll wear a hoodie in the summer sometimes too if I'm going to be amongst a lot of branches. Again treated with permethrin and underneath I'm treated with DEET.

When I get home the clothes come off, shoes are left outside. Clothes typically go right into the washer and then dryer. I go right into the shower after which a thorough tick check occurs.

That's a lot to remember... do you have a checklist for this

2.3k · July 29, 2011

Not much besides spray-on repellants (DEET for the skin, permethrin for the clothing). Tuck your socks in your shoes, and do a tick check (as well as possible, at least) whenever you exit tall grass. Light-colored clothing not only makes them easier to spot, but also does not attract mosquitoes as much as dark clothing will. Do a full, thorough, stark-naked tick check as soon as you get home. Throw the clothes in the washer or a plastic garbage bag (sealed). Check your car seats for ticks that may have come off while driving.

I'm in agreement with Knowschad here. I do the DEET/permethrin combo and haven't had a tick on me all season. Much of my caching takes place in wooded areas or in vegetation. I treat my shoes and socks as well. I usually do a less than thorough tick check after the last cache I do while at the car.

I typically wear dark colored clothing but I know light colors work better. I also wear a cap if I'm going to be in vegetation over my head. Harder for them to go right to the scalp. And I keep my hair pulled back tightly so I can get to ticks on my neck faster and they have to work hard to get down to skin as well. I do spray my hat and if I'm going to shower soon my hair as well.

I'll wear a hoodie in the summer sometimes too if I'm going to be amongst a lot of branches. Again treated with permethrin and underneath I'm treated with DEET.

When I get home the clothes come off, shoes are left outside. Clothes typically go right into the washer and then dryer. I go right into the shower after which a thorough tick check occurs.

That's a lot to remember... do you have a checklist for this

We have a few nasty tick borne diseases here to worry about so it's old hand. There others that I worry about much more than Lymes at this point. And I have my one normal set of "caching clothes" so really it's pull hair back, put hat on, spray down and off we go. Get home take it all off and get in shower then look for little buggers. If anything feels awry look carefully out in the field. lol

July 29, 2011

Not much besides spray-on repellants (DEET for the skin, permethrin for the clothing). Tuck your socks in your shoes, and do a tick check (as well as possible, at least) whenever you exit tall grass. Light-colored clothing not only makes them easier to spot, but also does not attract mosquitoes as much as dark clothing will. Do a full, thorough, stark-naked tick check as soon as you get home. Throw the clothes in the washer or a plastic garbage bag (sealed). Check your car seats for ticks that may have come off while driving.

I'm in agreement with Knowschad here. I do the DEET/permethrin combo and haven't had a tick on me all season. Much of my caching takes place in wooded areas or in vegetation. I treat my shoes and socks as well. I usually do a less than thorough tick check after the last cache I do while at the car.

I typically wear dark colored clothing but I know light colors work better. I also wear a cap if I'm going to be in vegetation over my head. Harder for them to go right to the scalp. And I keep my hair pulled back tightly so I can get to ticks on my neck faster and they have to work hard to get down to skin as well. I do spray my hat and if I'm going to shower soon my hair as well.

I'll wear a hoodie in the summer sometimes too if I'm going to be amongst a lot of branches. Again treated with permethrin and underneath I'm treated with DEET.

When I get home the clothes come off, shoes are left outside. Clothes typically go right into the washer and then dryer. I go right into the shower after which a thorough tick check occurs.

That's a lot to remember... do you have a checklist for this

We have a few nasty tick borne diseases here to worry about so it's old hand. There others that I worry about much more than Lymes at this point. And I have my one normal set of "caching clothes" so really it's pull hair back, put hat on, spray down and off we go. Get home take it all off and get in shower then look for little buggers. If anything feels awry look carefully out in the field. lol

*shudders*.. not good. I can see why you take such precautions. I should count myself lucky that I'm not in too much of a tick infested place and those that are about aren't that bad. Still, I am always cautious when it comes to searching in tall grass and putting my hand into those oh so welcoming tree bases.

Anyone else feel their skin crawling from these threads? :unsure:

July 29, 2011

I tried asking in the northwest forum: http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=278987

July 29, 2011

I have a way of removing ticks that is quick and painless - no tools required. You put slight pressure on the tick and rub in a circular motion for about a minute. The tick will back out completely and then you can dispose of it. You're welcome (yes it does work on any person or animal).

Thanks, but.im not sure if I want to even touch the tick.

2.3k · July 29, 2011

Not much besides spray-on repellants (DEET for the skin, permethrin for the clothing). Tuck your socks in your shoes, and do a tick check (as well as possible, at least) whenever you exit tall grass. Light-colored clothing not only makes them easier to spot, but also does not attract mosquitoes as much as dark clothing will. Do a full, thorough, stark-naked tick check as soon as you get home. Throw the clothes in the washer or a plastic garbage bag (sealed). Check your car seats for ticks that may have come off while driving.

I'm in agreement with Knowschad here. I do the DEET/permethrin combo and haven't had a tick on me all season. Much of my caching takes place in wooded areas or in vegetation. I treat my shoes and socks as well. I usually do a less than thorough tick check after the last cache I do while at the car.

I typically wear dark colored clothing but I know light colors work better. I also wear a cap if I'm going to be in vegetation over my head. Harder for them to go right to the scalp. And I keep my hair pulled back tightly so I can get to ticks on my neck faster and they have to work hard to get down to skin as well. I do spray my hat and if I'm going to shower soon my hair as well.

I'll wear a hoodie in the summer sometimes too if I'm going to be amongst a lot of branches. Again treated with permethrin and underneath I'm treated with DEET.

When I get home the clothes come off, shoes are left outside. Clothes typically go right into the washer and then dryer. I go right into the shower after which a thorough tick check occurs.

That's a lot to remember... do you have a checklist for this

We have a few nasty tick borne diseases here to worry about so it's old hand. There others that I worry about much more than Lymes at this point. And I have my one normal set of "caching clothes" so really it's pull hair back, put hat on, spray down and off we go. Get home take it all off and get in shower then look for little buggers. If anything feels awry look carefully out in the field. lol

*shudders*.. not good. I can see why you take such precautions. I should count myself lucky that I'm not in too much of a tick infested place and those that are about aren't that bad. Still, I am always cautious when it comes to searching in tall grass and putting my hand into those oh so welcoming tree bases.

Anyone else feel their skin crawling from these threads?

It seemed like this spring/early summer was worse here than usual for ticks. People walking out in the yard picked them up regularly with nicely cut grass. But yeah we fall into the abundant tick area.

Also remember folks if you treat your dog with stuff like Frontline that stuff doesn't kill the ticks so your pets can come into the house carrying the little buggers. I have a super short hair dog and usually rub her down quick before coming in with a rubber brush to flick any hangers on off.

July 29, 2011

I might be going caching tomorrow, in a dense vegetation local park w/ 35 caches in it, but problem is, that Ticks live there. Sure, Ticks live everywhere, but as long as I'm unaware of it, Im okay. Im terrified of Ticks. Everything about 'em. The legs, the arachnid like mouth, the round flat thorax, etc. I looked at wikipedia to see if it had any information to avoid them. But whoever wrote that article didn't help at all. I almost felt like editing the whole page saying "ticks are just little rainbows in disguise" But i didn't.

All wikipedia had was a huge deer tick on a leaf saying "ticks sit on leaves and attatch to their host when something brushes the leaf. And we cachers even stick our hands into unknown places which might have a horde of tick eating the remains of a deer eyeball.

One more peice of information that I found "useful" (Im being sarcastic) was a picture of a tick sitting on a toddlers scalp and engorging on his scalp flesh. I wasn't a pretty picture. Who knows who took that picture.

Anyway, I need some help on how to help avoid ticks other than that spray on repellent. Any?

which park? lord hill?

yep.

I'm curious, where did you hear that ticks lived there?

1.2k · July 29, 2011

I've been lucky and have only found ticks embedded in me after caching twice (the first time I nearly found a dozen of the little suckers). This year I found one after a trip to Raleigh. Didn't see him when I checked before I left so I'm guessing he was in my car and got me on the long ride home.

I usually wear long hiking pants. Thin material keeps me cool and covered. If I have to go into deep stuff then I do the sock tuck.

One other tip go with someone who is wearing shorts and attracts them. Then they get all the ticks.

FYI now my skin is crawling from the thought.

July 29, 2011

Also, make sure you look at the chemical composition on bug spray lables, at least for DEET (I've never tried Permethin). 10 percent is a bit different than 25. I always use deep woods off, which is about 25 and is skin safe, (and the highest concentration I can find), however, I'm phobic about sprays and only spray my clothes. So, I'm probably not the best to ask.

Don't forget to spray your shoes! Take duct tape - you can pull nonattached ticks off with it and keep them there if you don't like to touch them, but don't use regular scotch tape - they can pull out of it.

Beyond that, I really cannot add to the good advice so far given. Good luck!

July 29, 2011

I might be going caching tomorrow, in a dense vegetation local park w/ 35 caches in it, but problem is, that Ticks live there. Sure, Ticks live everywhere, but as long as I'm unaware of it, Im okay. Im terrified of Ticks. Everything about 'em. The legs, the arachnid like mouth, the round flat thorax, etc. I looked at wikipedia to see if it had any information to avoid them. But whoever wrote that article didn't help at all. I almost felt like editing the whole page saying "ticks are just little rainbows in disguise" But i didn't.

All wikipedia had was a huge deer tick on a leaf saying "ticks sit on leaves and attatch to their host when something brushes the leaf. And we cachers even stick our hands into unknown places which might have a horde of tick eating the remains of a deer eyeball.

One more peice of information that I found "useful" (Im being sarcastic) was a picture of a tick sitting on a toddlers scalp and engorging on his scalp flesh. I wasn't a pretty picture. Who knows who took that picture.

Anyway, I need some help on how to help avoid ticks other than that spray on repellent. Any?

which park? lord hill?

yep.

I'm curious, where did you hear that ticks lived there?

If you see- some caches in lord hill have the Tick attribute checked. And besides, its common sense, Ticks live anywhere there is dense vegetation.

4.2k · July 29, 2011

Ticks! Ticks! Ticks! A recurring thread Why do these things exist?

Because nobody uses the search function?

EDIT:

Edited July 29, 2011 by Castle Mischief

July 29, 2011

Not much besides spray-on repellants (DEET for the skin, permethrin for the clothing). Tuck your socks in your shoes, and do a tick check (as well as possible, at least) whenever you exit tall grass. Light-colored clothing not only makes them easier to spot, but also does not attract mosquitoes as much as dark clothing will. Do a full, thorough, stark-naked tick check as soon as you get home. Throw the clothes in the washer or a plastic garbage bag (sealed). Check your car seats for ticks that may have come off while driving.

I'm in agreement with Knowschad here. I do the DEET/permethrin combo and haven't had a tick on me all season. Much of my caching takes place in wooded areas or in vegetation. I treat my shoes and socks as well. I usually do a less than thorough tick check after the last cache I do while at the car.

I typically wear dark colored clothing but I know light colors work better. I also wear a cap if I'm going to be in vegetation over my head. Harder for them to go right to the scalp. And I keep my hair pulled back tightly so I can get to ticks on my neck faster and they have to work hard to get down to skin as well. I do spray my hat and if I'm going to shower soon my hair as well.

I'll wear a hoodie in the summer sometimes too if I'm going to be amongst a lot of branches. Again treated with permethrin and underneath I'm treated with DEET.

When I get home the clothes come off, shoes are left outside. Clothes typically go right into the washer and then dryer. I go right into the shower after which a thorough tick check occurs.

That's a lot to remember... do you have a checklist for this

We have a few nasty tick borne diseases here to worry about so it's old hand. There others that I worry about much more than Lymes at this point. And I have my one normal set of "caching clothes" so really it's pull hair back, put hat on, spray down and off we go. Get home take it all off and get in shower then look for little buggers. If anything feels awry look carefully out in the field. lol

*shudders*.. not good. I can see why you take such precautions. I should count myself lucky that I'm not in too much of a tick infested place and those that are about aren't that bad. Still, I am always cautious when it comes to searching in tall grass and putting my hand into those oh so welcoming tree bases.

Anyone else feel their skin crawling from these threads?

I hesitated reading the original Ticks! Ticks! Ticks! thread, but once I realized that there are some species in the PNW I read it for tips. That thread has died down so I created this one.

July 30, 2011

I can tell you from first hand experience that you really need to be aware of and check really good for them. Four years ago we were caching in South Dakota and my wife picked up a case of Rocky Mountain Fever from a tick and it took her three years to finally get over it. It was not a pleasant experience. Thankfully she is about 95% better now and back caching. We spent all of May caching around Europe (23 countries)and she got along fine.

2.2k · July 30, 2011

I am always greatful when I get home without any chigger bites. A few ticks don't even bother me anymore. I do use the DEET/permethrin combo with pretty good results. I also have Bugskinz pants and socks from Cabela's which work fine when I take the time to use them.

July 30, 2011

I usually wear long pants with tall socks and tall boots. Sprays can also help. Usually, (at least in my case) they will jump on you but not latch on until later. So when I get home I always brush my hair and if I have any ticks on me they will usually fall off because they are not latched on. They then take a one way ride on the porcelain express.

My horse Cappy currently holds the record for the most ticks I have ever see on a living thing at one time. I pulled about 10-15 off of him one day last fall. He even had one in his butt crack. :lol:

10.1k · July 30, 2011

Do you have Lyme in the PNW?

Sure, you can douse yourself with those toxic chemicals and hope for the best. Tick check when you get home is good, if you can find someone to paw your raw hide... Or you could stop geocaching? (Yeah, right.)

I think the best thing to have is a doctor who will listen to you, and prescrive the antibiotic when you feel the need for it. The Lyme test is notoriously bad, and the rashes don't always show up. Yet, some doctors rely on them alone before prescribing the antibiotic. I tested positive once and had the rash, but I'm pretty sure I've had it three times. Hey! The tick is embedded, please treat me. I don't want to have to wait a month for results!

6.7k · July 30, 2011

All those ticks and not a single tock!

July 30, 2011

Do you have Lyme in the PNW?

Sure, you can douse yourself with those toxic chemicals and hope for the best. Tick check when you get home is good, if you can find someone to paw your raw hide... Or you could stop geocaching? (Yeah, right.)

I think the best thing to have is a doctor who will listen to you, and prescrive the antibiotic when you feel the need for it. The Lyme test is notoriously bad, and the rashes don't always show up. Yet, some doctors rely on them alone before prescribing the antibiotic. I tested positive once and had the rash, but I'm pretty sure I've had it three times. Hey! The tick is embedded, please treat me. I don't want to have to wait a month for results!

Well, according to the Washington state department of health:

C. Lyme Disease in Washington State and the United States

Communicable Disease Epidemiology Section has received 7 to 23 reports of Lyme

disease per year in recent years. Almost all Washington cases are the result of tick

exposure out of state. Endemic Lyme disease is not common; there are generally only 0

to 3 endemically-acquired cases per year. The risk of infection appears to be highest in

counties around and west of the Cascade Mountains, reflecting the distribution of the

local Ixodes pacificus tick vector.

Lyme disease has a wide distribution in northern temperate regions of the world. Lyme

disease is the most commonly reported vector-borne disease in the United States with

approximately 29,000 cases reported annually. In this country, the reported incidence is

highest in the Northeast (particularly in southern New England); and the upper Midwest.

I wish I didn't read that.

July 30, 2011

All those ticks and not a single tock!

I think its time to change your avatar.

July 30, 2011

Also, make sure you look at the chemical composition on bug spray lables, at least for DEET (I've never tried Permethin). 10 percent is a bit different than 25. I always use deep woods off, which is about 25 and is skin safe, (and the highest concentration I can find), however, I'm phobic about sprays and only spray my clothes. So, I'm probably not the best to ask.

Don't forget to spray your shoes! Take duct tape - you can pull nonattached ticks off with it and keep them there if you don't like to touch them, but don't use regular scotch tape - they can pull out of it.

Beyond that, I really cannot add to the good advice so far given. Good luck!

I use 3M Ultrathon or Off Deep Woods Sportsman II. Both around 30%. Both work very well. Only ticks we've gotten is when we've forgotten to put it on before deciding to wade through head-high grass. Never heard of that permathin that people use to treat their clothes, but we, too, have a set of "cachin' clothes", so we're gonna pick some of that up now.

Great to get these ideas now that tick season is winding down!!!

July 30, 2011

We have tics here. We have predetermined Geocaching outfits that are treated, we wear socks with pants tucked in, light colored clothes and hats. We did this because of coming home with tics, chigger bites and other unwanted attacks. We have noticed that other people who work the land can be seen in Walmart dressed just like this. It is old hat for people who regularly go digging into odd places. All this in 100 degree weather that has the "feels like" temp of 115. It is very hot. So, we tend to cache in the morning then try to swim later in the day so changing into our swim suits helps with the checking process. :unsure:

July 30, 2011

Am I the only person who doesn't freak out about ticks? Growing up in the country in The South, ticks & chiggers were part of life. I spray my pant legs with a little Off then do a tick check when I get home. If I find one, I pull it off & flush it. No big deal.

July 30, 2011

Am I the only person who doesn't freak out about ticks? Growing up in the country in The South, ticks & chiggers were part of life. I spray my pant legs with a little Off then do a tick check when I get home. If I find one, I pull it off & flush it. No big deal.

Exactly how do you pull it off? If you kill it while its feeding on you or you apply too much pressure while pulling, it will regurgitate its contents into your bloodstream.

July 30, 2011

I just made a homemade tick repellent. Hopefully it'll work and "keep the ticks at bay" as the website where I got the instructions said.

Some water and twice the amount of white vinegar. And a few drops of Eucalyptus to de-attract the ticks.

July 30, 2011

Jesus loves ticks and so should you

July 30, 2011

To remove a tick, use Dawn dishwashing liquid on a q-tip and go in a counter-clockwise direction to massage him out. It should just pop out.

July 30, 2011

A tick usually needs several hours to embed his head into your hide, also you should use a tick removal tool to remove them when they are attached.

7k · July 30, 2011

Am I the only person who doesn't freak out about ticks? Growing up in the country in The South, ticks & chiggers were part of life. I spray my pant legs with a little Off then do a tick check when I get home. If I find one, I pull it off & flush it. No big deal.

I'm in the same camp. I haven't had a lot of them, but a few. Yeah, if you don't pull them out properly, it's got the potential of being itchy for a long time, but eventually it will wear off. Mosquitoes bother me much more.

1.1k · July 30, 2011

I recently attempted a cache where the area was infested with fire ants. Those little pests really bite...I was covered! It ended up as a DNF, along with a few others who tried. The CO, evidently unconcerned, relocates the cache in the same fire ant infested area. He even shows pictures of them on the cache page....HUH? Obviously, they don't have the potential to transmit lyme disease but I wonder, why do people knowingly place caches in hazardous areas?

July 30, 2011

If you can trust the gov-ment:

http://www.cdc.gov/ticks/removing_a_tick.html

Use fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skin's surface as possible.
Pull upward with steady, even pressure. Don't twist or jerk the tick; this can cause the mouth-parts to break off and remain in the skin. If this happens, remove the mouth-parts with tweezers. If you are unable to remove the mouth easily with clean tweezers, leave it alone and let the skin heal.
After removing the tick, thoroughly clean the bite area and your hands with rubbing alcohol, an iodine scrub, or soap and water.

Ticks! Ticks! Ticks! A recurring thread

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