Buying Tick Free CLothing

[+Ramblin_Man]

Hi

 

I used to be a pretty avid geocacher until I have a few encounters with ticks.  This unfortunately dampened my enthusiasm.  I  learned recently that you can purchase tick free clothing.  

How effect is this clothing?   Does anyone have any recommendations where this type of clothing can be purchased.  I am live in Ontario Canada.  Any comments will be appreciated.

[+Viajero Perdido]

Or, buy regular clothing and soak it in Permethrin.  I think it's the same thing.

 

Haven't used the stuff myself, but maybe I should.  So far I've relied on DEET, more recently icaridin (DEET without flaws), and (fashion alert!) pant legs tucked into the socks.

[+kunarion]

1 hour ago, Ramblin_Man said:

Hi

 

I used to be a pretty avid geocacher until I have a few encounters with ticks.  This unfortunately dampened my enthusiasm.  I  learned recently that you can purchase tick free clothing.  

How effect is this clothing?   Does anyone have any recommendations where this type of clothing can be purchased.  I am live in Ontario Canada.  Any comments will be appreciated.

 

You may find "permethrin" liquid in bottle or spray, in stores that sell hunting equipment.  The spray is easy to use, and I use it on hats, shoes, packs, and shirts.

 

There are stores that sell permethrin-treated clothing, and I bought mine online.  But I found a treated hat in a local store.

 

And some online places have a service to treat clothing.  I bought some clothing that match the requirements (no waterproof clothing, stuff like that), and got them professionally treated.  That lasts longer than sprays.  The soaking method lasts "for the life of the garment" (or 70 washings).  The spray is only "6 washings", but I re-apply more frequently if I used the spray.  Anyway, it's good to keep track of how many times it's been washed.  And I marked all my treated clothing with a paint pen (if there's no logo), so I know which is which.

 

If you have an Army/Navy store (military surplus), see if they have permethrin-treated uniforms.  I haven't found those yet, but if I find a local source, I might try that, depending on price.  Of course, those would be military fatigues.  Camo fatigues might be pretty nice for caching!

 

I am a tick magnet, and here in the Atlanta area, I feared I'd have to stop caching in forested areas, except maybe in winter.  Then I tried a full-ensemble of permethrin-treated clothing.  The difference is like night and day.  On my first trip, a tick landed on a pant leg.  And it immediately died.  Oh, yeah.  That's what I'm talkin' about.

 

Deet confuses ticks and mosquitoes so they have trouble finding blood.  Permethrin kills them.  Much better!

 

I use Deet on all exposed skin, for the mosquitoes.  But unless I'm on urban pavement, it's hat, shirt, pants, shoes, permethrin-treated clothing, for ticks.  I was that impressed.

Edited May 11, 2018 by kunarion

[+Mn-treker]

Yes kill them ticks. I spray it on my dog.

Any ticks that get on him die. I find then on the floor wiggling as they die. I spray it on my clothes as well. I then find dead ticks on the floor of my car. On that note also spray it on the carpet and seats of your car. Those that get off you will get killed there. Beware though, do not spray a cat. Permithrin kills cats.

[+kunarion]

1 minute ago, Mn-treker said:

Yes kill them ticks. I spray it on my dog.

Any ticks that get on him die. I find then on the floor wiggling as they die. I spray it on my clothes as well. I then find dead ticks on the floor of my car. On that note also spray it on the carpet and seats of your car. Those that get off you will get killed there. Beware though, do not spray a cat. Permithrin kills cats.

 

Tip: Spray your retractable seat belt.

 

I spray some accessories outside, and immediately, the cat appears to see what's going on.  Like clockwork, every time.  Stooopid cat.

[+Touchstone]

You can buy a 24 oz bottle of permethrin for under $20, or pay upwards of $100 for a pair of pants that are pretreated and last about as long as doing it yourself. 

[Rock Chalk]

Permethrin was a must for me when I lived in the Midwest. Not as big of a need for it out here in the Northwest, but I still recently sent a batch of clothes in to get them treated. I travel to ticky areas often enough that it's good to know I've got some treated apparel.

 

As kunarion mentioned, professionally treated apparel holds up a lot longer than when you treat it yourself. I used to have to spray my clothes once every couple months, whereas that becomes unnecessary with the professional treatment. I felt like sending the clothing in was a lot more cost effective than buying the pre-treated apparel. But YRMV.

[+Isonzo Karst]

First I've heard of sending clothing to have it professionally treated. I need to look into that. I've had pretty good luck with self treating pants, hat, shirt.  Tucking pants into socks which creates such a cool fashion statement.

[+BCandMsKitty]

2 hours ago, Ramblin_Man said:

Hi

 

I used to be a pretty avid geocacher until I have a few encounters with ticks.  This unfortunately dampened my enthusiasm.  I  learned recently that you can purchase tick free clothing.  

How effect is this clothing?   Does anyone have any recommendations where this type of clothing can be purchased.  I am live in Ontario Canada.  Any comments will be appreciated.

 

Hey

 

I also live in Ontario, Canada, but live close enough to the US/Canada border and I get it at REI, or Dick's Sporting Goods.

 

Permathrin and treated clothing is not available in Canada AFAIK

 

Check out this link

quote

Canadian conundrum

Health Canada’s stand concerning permethrin is difficult to understand. Here are some of the facts concerning its use:

— Permethrin has been approved for use in clothing worn by Canadian military personnel since the 1980s.

—Factory-produced clothing containing permethrin cannot be manufactured in Canada or shipped into the country, though Canadians can bring these items back with other purchases from the U.S. or abroad.

—Permethrin spray designed for use on clothing (0.5% strength) is not available in Canada, but it can be purchased online and shipped into the country (at considerable expense).

—Permethrin for use on horses and livestock (10% strength) is available in Canada. (Many outdoors folk purchase the agricultural-strength version and dilute it for their personal use.)

—The Government of Canada publication on Travel Health and Safety entitled “Insect bite prevention” recommends applying a permethrin insecticide to clothing and other travel gear for greater protection. It also states: “Although permethrin is not available in Canada, travel health clinics can advise you how to purchase permethrin and pre-treated gear before or during your trip.” (Presumably by making a shopping trip south across the border before you embark.)

unquote

 

I have been thinking about trying what is mentioned above about diluting and using the agricultural strength. I've even found some at a feed mill that is the same strength as the 0.5% Sawyer brand I have been using.

 

The stuff really works, and we've watched the ticks fall off our sprayed clothes.

We just keep track of the washings , and keep our "tick clothes" in a small duffel bag when hot using them.

[+Viajero Perdido]

Well that [cartoon profanity] explains why I haven't been able to find the stuff at my favourite outdoor retailer. 

 

This is the same government that banned 100% DEET the same year West Nile Virus (a mosquito-borne disease) made its appearance.  Thanks, government.  So now they expect us to use the watered-down 30% version, not realizing we'll just use 3x as much of it - and pay 3x as much of course.  (Did they really think we were so dumb as to bathe in the stuff, regardless of concentration?  They must've.)

 

I believe posession of 100% DEET is still legal here, likely in the same way permethrin is, ie, you've gotta get a foreign dealer supplier.

 

But hey, marijuana is okay.  Weird country.

 

Time to hit up the vet-supply shop to get something for (cough!) my horse's blanket.  Thanks for the tip.

 

Edited May 12, 2018 by Viajero Perdido
Spling, more rant

[+cerberus1]

I buy the 24oz bottles of sawyer permethrin in bulk at REI, Cabela's, Dicks, or Gander Mountain - and my local sporting goods store if just a bottle.  Most chains sell close to the same price.

Lyme disease a few times (where my arthritis started from), I spray everything but underwear (including packs, hats, and boots) every couple washings or longer than three weeks sitting.  All treated gear/clothes has it's own closet, sunlight starts breaking it down if near a window.

Haven't had a tick on me in years now.

I won't buy pre-treated clothes because most manufacturers say the treatment's good for "the life of the garment".  Not one has ever responded when I asked what that actually meant.

The US military has been soak-treating permethrin into the material of their utility uniforms for our soldiers since they went to those no-starch BDUs.

 

I won't use DEET at all. It stinks and melts most plastics.  My 60cxs buttons lost the markings the first day I forgot and had DEET on my hands.  I've ruined tent screens, eyeglass frames, and fly lines. Trout won't hit a fly that came into contact with DEET.

 - The rare time I put anything on my skin anymore, it's only picaridin.

Edited May 12, 2018 by cerberus1
explanification

[+cerberus1]

6 hours ago, Mn-treker said:

Beware though, do not spray a cat. Permithrin kills cats.

 

My cat used to lay on my dry, treated clothes set out for the next day.  She lived to be 15.

Permethrin kills cats (nervous system) if the material's wet.

[+Mn-treker]

True that is why they(veterinarians )

Say do not spray on cats.

[+RecipeForDisaster]

I've seen my old tip about this make its way around a lot, so I'm surprised it didn't come up here. I have been buying concentrated permethrin at Tractor Supply usually labeled "goat and sheep spray". I was in that department to actually buy stuff for horses and discovered it. It lasts forever and works nicely... I dilute it and soak a bunch of clothes in a bucket, let dry, and I'm good for a while. It's dirt cheap (I get a gallon!) compared to the kind labeled for clothing, and you don't have to use a trigger spray 3035 times to cover a garment.

[+NYPaddleCacher]

13 hours ago, Isonzo Karst said:

First I've heard of sending clothing to have it professionally treated. I need to look into that. I've had pretty good luck with self treating pants, hat, shirt.  Tucking pants into socks which creates such a cool fashion statement.

 

I thought it was pretty easy, though a little time consuming, to self treat clothing using permethrin in a bottle.  A few years ago we went to Costa Rica for a week and my wife was very concerned with malaria carrying mosquitoes and tick so bought a case of permethrin in a bottle.  Each bottle came with a couple of large plastic bags for soaking clothing.  We soaked five shirts, five pants, and 5 pairs of socks.  I've read that permethrin, while still a liquid can kill cats, but once the clothing is dry it's not a problem.  I soaked everything in our basement then hung everything to dry.  The packed up everything in our luggage and didn't get a single bite all week (didn't see many mosquitoes either.)  For my upcoming Kenya trip I'm just going to get some good Deet but because it's been a *very* wet rainy season (lots of flooding where I'm going) I'm going to make a visit to the travel clinic and get malaria pills. 

[+NYPaddleCacher]

1 hour ago, RecipeForDisaster said:

I've seen my old tip about this make its way around a lot, so I'm surprised it didn't come up here. I have been buying concentrated permethrin at Tractor Supply usually labeled "goat and sheep spray". I was in that department to actually buy stuff for horses and discovered it. It lasts forever and works nicely... I dilute it and soak a bunch of clothes in a bucket, let dry, and I'm good for a while. It's dirt cheap (I get a gallon!) compared to the kind labeled for clothing, and you don't have to use a trigger spray 3035 times to cover a garmente.

 

That's good to know.  We've got a Tractor Supply store in town and will check it out.

[+Isonzo Karst]

DEET is just as efficacious at 30% as at 100%. It lasts  longer at higher concentrations, at about 6 hours, your 30% DEET is starting to fail . In the real world, over a lot of a sweaty body, you're not getting 6 hours out any repellent. 

There's a lot of data on this

https://www.cdc.gov/malaria/toolkit/DEET.pdf

https://www.consumerreports.org/insect-repellents/mosquito-repellents-that-best-protect-against-zika/

as well as work on the efficacy of   Picaridin and DEET

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4270489/

[+kunarion]

1 hour ago, RecipeForDisaster said:

I've seen my old tip about this make its way around a lot, so I'm surprised it didn't come up here. I have been buying concentrated permethrin at Tractor Supply usually labeled "goat and sheep spray". I was in that department to actually buy stuff for horses and discovered it. It lasts forever and works nicely... I dilute it and soak a bunch of clothes in a bucket, let dry, and I'm good for a while. It's dirt cheap (I get a gallon!) compared to the kind labeled for clothing, and you don't have to use a trigger spray 3035 times to cover a garment.

 

Wow, that's a great find!

 

I did a quick google, and found a gallon of "Gordon's Goat and Sheep Spray" for $9.99.  It's the same Permethrin solution as the little bottles that are the same price for 12 fluid ounces.  You get ten times as much for the same price, because it's for "goats".

 

Here's an example of the concentrate, twenty times more concentrated than the spray: https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/gordons-permethrin-10-livestock-and-premise-spray-8-oz?cm_vc=IOPDP1

 

So you'd dilute that, to soak clothing or to use in a spray bottle.  The concentrate, when diluted, works out to about four cents per fluid ounce.  Compared to 83 cents per ounce for Sawyers spray, it's quite a deal!

 

Can someone verify this is available in Canada?

 

 

Edited May 12, 2018 by kunarion

[+BCandMsKitty]

1 hour ago, kunarion said:

 

Wow, that's a great find!

 

I did a quick google, and found a gallon of "Gordon's Goat and Sheep Spray" for $9.99.  It's the same Permethrin solution as the little bottles that are the same price for 12 fluid ounces.  You get ten times as much for the same price, because it's for "goats".

 

Here's an example of the concentrate, twenty times more concentrated than the spray: https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/gordons-permethrin-10-livestock-and-premise-spray-8-oz?cm_vc=IOPDP1

 

So you'd dilute that, to soak clothing or to use in a spray bottle.  The concentrate, when diluted, works out to about four cents per fluid ounce.  Compared to 83 cents per ounce for Sawyers spray, it's quite a deal!

 

Can someone verify this is available in Canada?

 

 

Not sure about that particular brand, but I've seen permathrin for livestock and stable use at a couple of different agriculture stores in Canada at all different concentrations.from .5% on up. One feed mill near  me has several different products on the shelf, all of which had permathrin in different concentrations.  Whichever you get, just work out the dilution.

The last of my Sawyer brand spray is gone so for the next treatment I.m going to do the soaking method using the diluted agriculture product.

 

 

Edited May 12, 2018 by BCandMsKitty

[+cerberus1]

Forgot to add... The other 2/3rds was one who got a horrible rash with DEET.  Her Doctor said try either picaridin or lemon/eucalyptus (with clothes treated with permethrin).   For her, lemon/eucalyptus worked best.   

It didn't do anything for me, so it might be a body chemistry thing.  I didn't like the smell anyway.   

[+cerberus1]

3 hours ago, kunarion said:

 

Wow, that's a great find!

 

I did a quick google, and found a gallon of "Gordon's Goat and Sheep Spray" for $9.99.  It's the same Permethrin solution as the little bottles that are the same price for 12 fluid ounces.  You get ten times as much for the same price, because it's for "goats".

 

Here's an example of the concentrate, twenty times more concentrated than the spray: https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/gordons-permethrin-10-livestock-and-premise-spray-8-oz?cm_vc=IOPDP1

 

So you'd dilute that, to soak clothing or to use in a spray bottle.  The concentrate, when diluted, works out to about four cents per fluid ounce.  Compared to 83 cents per ounce for Sawyers spray, it's quite a deal!

 

But, is it okay to have petroleum distillates on your clothes/against your skin for any length of time?

Whenever I see "I just mixed up a batch of this stuff and saved BIG BUCKS !" posts/vids online , none mention what's in with that bottle they saved so much on. 

[+RecipeForDisaster]

What I normally buy isn't that brand (simpler gallon container, no spray bottle attachment), and there is not much in it other than permethrin and water (none of that stuff to keep it on an animal's coat for a while). I feel quite comfortable wearing clothes that have the dried solution on them... it's a lot better than Lyme disease.

[+Viajero Perdido]

3 hours ago, Isonzo Karst said:

DEET is just as efficacious at 30% as at 100%.

 

Probably, if you use exactly the same amount of each.  But that's a stupid assumption on the part of those who think they should look after us.  A research assumption, not the real world.

 

I use the tiniest amount of my remaining 100% DEET supply, treat it like liquid gold to make it last.  Two tiny squirts into the hand, rub hands, then pat myself all over to leave trace amounts everywhere.  It works, and this way, it lasts without overdosing.  I would need to use 3x as much of the 30% stuff.

 

Anyway, icaridin is here (prefix with "P" for the brand name), and once I've used up my lifetime supply of 100% DEET (I stocked up), I'm switching.

[+TheOldfields]

The advice given in UK is to cover up, stuff trousers into socks wear long sleeves and as an added precaution I spray my walking clothes with mosquito net spray.

And after all that use the lotions and sprays. oh and we always carry a tick remover, along with the instructions on how to use it.

[+kunarion]

23 hours ago, Viajero Perdido said:

I use the tiniest amount of my remaining 100% DEET supply, treat it like liquid gold to make it last.  Two tiny squirts into the hand, rub hands, then pat myself all over to leave trace amounts everywhere.  It works, and this way, it lasts without overdosing.  I would need to use 3x as much of the 30% stuff.

 

Anyway, icaridin is here (prefix with "P" for the brand name), and once I've used up my lifetime supply of 100% DEET (I stocked up), I'm switching.

 

I have Picardin, but still use low-odor DEET (ticks drink DEET as a refreshing beverage, DEET is for mosquitoes).  Invariably, these threads end up with a lot of "just one drop of clove behind each ear, and you'll never get bit".  No way.  It's weapons-of-mass-destruction for me.  I tried a lot of different ideas, and with the tick concentration around here, and vicious mosquitoes, it's Permethrin-treated clothing and DEET, all the way.  When I eventually run out of DEET, yeah, we'll see.  Bet I go back to DEET.

Edited May 13, 2018 by kunarion

[+NYPaddleCacher]

1 hour ago, kunarion said:

 

I have Picardin, but still use low-odor DEET instead.  Invariably, these threads end up with a lot of "just one drop of clove behind each ear, and you'll never get bit".  No way.  It's weapons-of-mass-destruction for me.  I tried a lot of different ideas, and with the tick concentration around here, and vicious mosquitoes, it's Permethrin-treated clothing and DEET, all the way.  When I eventually run out of DEET, yeah, we'll see.  Bet I go back to DEET.

 

That's the way I feel,  especially when going to a place where mosquitoes carry malaria and degue fever.  I have no idea how it works on other insects but last time I was in the area where I'll be going in three weeks we had about 10 tsetse flies in the vehicle with while driving around a game park.

[+kunarion]

Just now, NYPaddleCacher said:

last time I was in the area where I'll be going in three weeks we had about 10 tsetse flies in the vehicle with while driving around a game park.

 

Yikes!

 

I once went on a pontoon boat tour of the Okefenokee Swamp with my parents and brother.  I brought way-cool herbal non-DEET "mosquito repellant", and we all used it.  And we were eaten alive by the mosquitoes.  Horrible evening.  I think mosquitoes are attracted to it.  On the plus side, we all smelled lovely.

 

[+cerberus1]

On ‎5‎/‎12‎/‎2018 at 8:49 AM, kunarion said:

Here's an example of the concentrate, twenty times more concentrated than the spray: https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/gordons-permethrin-10-livestock-and-premise-spray-8-oz?cm_vc=IOPDP1

 

So you'd dilute that, to soak clothing or to use in a spray bottle.  The concentrate, when diluted, works out to about four cents per fluid ounce.  Compared to 83 cents per ounce for Sawyers spray, it's quite a deal!

 

You didn't respond, so curious if you realized that it says, "contains petroleum distillates" right on that label.

I wouldn't think spraying even a watered-down mix of mineral spirits, or kerosene (petroleum distillates) that's added would be good for clothes ("Sure is gettin' chilly, let's get closer to that camp fire")  much less having those clothes against your skin. 

[+Joe_L]

To the original question:  I use the permethrin spray on a single light color pair of pants that I use exclusively for geocaching in the woods and orienteering (Western Pennsylvania).  (I also wear a light color shirt.)  I've been using the spray for about 3-4 years.  I apply the spray twice a year, but I don't necessarily wash them after each time I wear them.  If I remember, I'll apply DEET to my calfs.  I have had good results and have not had a tick attach since I started using permethrin.  But when I bushwack or walk a grassy trail, I'll regularly check my clothes for the blood-sucking food-chain dead-ends.  On the other hand, twice in the last year I found a tick attached, but I had been wearing untreated jeans and used no DEET (both times were while caching, once in a park and once in a cemetery). 

 

So, I would say the spray works well, but diligence is still needed minimize exposure to ticks. 

 

I think this website from the University of Rhode Island is one of the most comprehensive sources of tick information: http://www.tickencounter.org/

 

Joe

Edited May 14, 2018 by Joe_L

[+kunarion]

2 hours ago, cerberus1 said:

 

You didn't respond, so curious if you realized that it says, "contains petroleum distillates" right on that label.

I wouldn't think spraying even a watered-down mix of mineral spirits, or kerosene (petroleum distillates) that's added would be good for clothes ("Sure is gettin' chilly, let's get closer to that camp fire")  much less having those clothes against your skin. 

 

Hey, good catch!  On Gordon's Goat and Sheep Spray Concentrate, it's right there on the label!

One thing I found is Gordon's "Ready-To-Spray" does not say "petroleum".  Supposedly it's the concentrate that has kerosene.  I've checked some online forums, and people use these on clothing, and the formula changes from time to time, without notice.  And Goat and Sheep spray is "pesticide quality", for spraying goats and sheep (who knew? ).

 

But there's "Bedbug Killer" (the Permethrin version), and a couple of other products that are designed for clothing (or at least "cloth"), that may be less expensive than Sawyer's, or may smell better, or at least be available (I dunno, maybe) in a country where "Sawyer's Spray" can't be found.  Here's a thread where the subject has gone around and around a few times already:

https://www.hammockforums.net/forum/archive/index.php/t-69059.html

Edited May 13, 2018 by kunarion

[+kunarion]

On ‎5‎/‎11‎/‎2018 at 4:56 PM, Ramblin_Man said:

Does anyone have any recommendations where this type of clothing can be purchased.  I am live in Ontario Canada.

 

I don't know anything about buying clothes in Canada.  But I've occasionally seen various pieces of clothing in a local sports store, in the hunting section.  That's where I bought my Permethrin-treated "Koppel" wide-brimmed hat, a hat I have not found anywhere since.

 

One big issue with buying treated clothing off-the-rack is there's a super limited selection.  I bought a pair of pants online that are "fast-dry" cloth, very thin, polyester or something, no good to make pants out of.  Yeah, I assume it keeps ticks away.  But for walking through sticker plants, you might as well not have pants on.

 

So go to various outdoors stores and see if they have anything suitable.  A shirt here, a hat there.  I sure envy you.  Shopping for clothes... man I loooove doing that. Not.

[+cerberus1]

18 minutes ago, kunarion said:

 

Hey, good catch!  On Gordon's Goat and Sheep Spray Concentrate, it's right there on the label!

 

When I was a youngster (the Dead Sea was just sick...) and a pilit for a couple farms, I asked a few why they were spraying with kerosene, turpentine or similar mixed sprays, and most just never bothered to read past that main ingredient.

 - I'd bet a couple of barn fires took off big time because they've been soaking stall lumber with mineral spirits for years...

[+cerberus1]

On ‎5‎/‎11‎/‎2018 at 6:48 PM, Isonzo Karst said:

First I've heard of sending clothing to have it professionally treated. I need to look into that. I've had pretty good luck with self treating pants, hat, shirt.  Tucking pants into socks which creates such a cool fashion statement.

 

When I looked into having clothes done for me by a company that has their name on much of the pre-soaked items out there, it'd cost me 30 bucks just for a shirt (10 for shipping, 10 for treatment, and they charge 10 to send it back) .  Of course if you got the bucks...

They also wouldn't do any of my favorite wool clothes I have that's not labeled "washable wool" (no dry-clean items), so I'd have to spray-treat much of what I'd wear in cool/cold weather anyway.  I love my woolrich and filson.    

They also wouldn't explain that "life of garment" thing, since I believe most realize that different items should have different "lives".

They confused me with (and went back to see if still there) " ... (name of co) registered to last through 70 launderings, the expected lifetime of a garment. This is also well beyond the life of most performance fabric finishes commonly used in the technical-apparel industry.".

 - I have some quality garments (shirts mostly) that I've worn for well over twenty years, so I can't see sending the same item back every-other  year to be retreated,  some in effect "re-buying" the same garment (that's now so comfortable...) in price .       I'll stick with spraying, myself.

[+Isonzo Karst]

8 hours ago, cerberus1 said:

70 launderings, the expected lifetime of a garment.

Thanks for that ;-) 

 

I still own the first nylon hiking pants I bought -  predates geocaching.  I couldn't begin to guess the number of times they've been laundered - for years I owned the one pair, and wore them upwards of 200 days a year, mostly laundering every other day or so.   (They're a heavier weight than you get these days on nylon trousers; and I speculate that part of why the fabric weight is now lighter is so you wear them out...   That pair has shrunk some at the waist over time ;-) still wearable, standing and walking, but uncomfortable sitting, so they're now at the bottom of the pile, unless I anticipate bad thorns. )

[+J Grouchy]

I have a feeling I'm going to have to knock on a lot of wood today, but in the 5 1/2 years I've been caching, I've not gotten a single tick and have never had a reaction to poison ivy.  

Not that I feel invincible by any means.  I did find one tick on me once, but it was crawling on my arm and I just brushed it off.  

As miserable as Georgia is in the summer, I just don't cache that much in the heat.

 

Good to know about all this.  I'm sure the day will come...

[+StumblinMonk]

Ticks are a regular part of life here.  I am in the county with the highest rate in the state with the highest rate of Lyme.  Ticks gross me out, and with all that we have tried we simply stick to pants, and sleeves while caching.  When we got home we change clothes and tick check.  We have a homemade spray that we use on our kids and dog, I do not think it is that great, but my wife seems to like it (pasted below).  

 

I also believe that it is similar to hunting.  I use a lot of scent free things, and often do not see many on me.  I may not smell pretty, but I also do not have a bug issue.  

 

As for the poison ivy mentioned above, I keep dish soap in the shower in season.  It is the oils that cause the irritation, so if properly washed away in time they do not cause the rash.  

 

Homemade Tick and Insect Repellent – Try this simple recipe. Just mix and apply to exposed skin before heading outdoors:

•  9 drops citronella essential oil
• 6 drops Tea Tree essential oil
• 6 drops Peppermint essential oils
• 1 tablespoon almond oil or jojoba oil

[+hzoi]

5 hours ago, J Grouchy said:

I have a feeling I'm going to have to knock on a lot of wood today, but in the 5 1/2 years I've been caching, I've not gotten a single tick and have never had a reaction to poison ivy.  

Not that I feel invincible by any means.  I did find one tick on me once, but it was crawling on my arm and I just brushed it off.  

As miserable as Georgia is in the summer, I just don't cache that much in the heat.

 

Good to know about all this.  I'm sure the day will come...

 

UNLEASH THE TICKS

 

[+cerberus1]

2 minutes ago, hzoi said:

UNLEASH THE TICKS

 

Creepy maybe, but thanks for that. 

Haven't checked trout contents in a while, but seeing that, seems easy to tie up a few JIC.

[+hzoi]

I'm here to help.

 

My wife was just recalling the other day about how we were caching in the woods in Germany and she noticed some dirt on her arm.  When she tried to brush it off, she discovered the dirt was actually dozens and dozens of itty bitty ticks (probably larvae).  At the car we discovered we both had many hitchhikers on our clothes.  Ended up using duct tape to take them off like lint.

 

When I'm in the field for work, I keep my ACU trousers tucked into my combat boots.  They came treated with permethrin; if the above comment on 70 launderings is accurate, I'm still good.  And I can confirm that my 17 year old cats sleep on my uniforms all the time and have yet to be killed off -- the warming would only appear to apply to newly soaked clothing.

 

I just can't bring myself to tuck my pants into my boots or socks in civilian clothes, though.  We've gotten pretty good at tick checking.  To date we've only had a handful ever get to the stage where they embedded. 

[+CAVinoGal]

12 hours ago, J Grouchy said:

... in the 5 1/2 years I've been caching, I've not gotten a single tick and have never had a reaction to poison ivy.  

 

I wish I could say the same!  I've been geocaching a little over a year, and have had 2 rather nasty bouts of Poison Oak last spring, the first time in my life I have had a reaction to PO.  Now I know what to watch out for, and have been very vigilant and have avoided it so far this year!  Ticks - none embedded on us but plenty in the car, on clothing, and on skin that we could flick away after a tromp through a grassy field.  We check carefully, and carry spray that we apply before attempting a cache through grass.

 

We haven't invested in or even considered clothing treated with tick repellent - we just watch where we go and check ourselves carefully if we happen to venture unexpectedly into tick territory.  If there's too much poison oak, we simply don't go there, and revisit when it's not so prevalent.

 

 

[+Mudfrog]

On 5/14/2018 at 9:20 AM, J Grouchy said:

I have a feeling I'm going to have to knock on a lot of wood today, but in the 5 1/2 years I've been caching, I've not gotten a single tick and have never had a reaction to poison ivy.  

Not that I feel invincible by any means.  I did find one tick on me once, but it was crawling on my arm and I just brushed it off.  

As miserable as Georgia is in the summer, I just don't cache that much in the heat.

 

Good to know about all this.  I'm sure the day will come...

 

I'm down here in southeast Texas where ticks and redbugs are plentiful. I've been going out in the woods for around 50 years so i guess i'm just used to the notion that they will get on me at times. These bugs just don't bother me and i'd rather put up with them than put a chemical next to my skin that someday might cause me health problems or be caught up in a lawsuit. I'm also lucky in that i can touch poison ivy and not be bothered too much by it.

 

Mosquitoes bug me more and i do sometimes spray the junk on to keep them from carrying me off. It's one of those things i weigh, which is worse, chemicals or being eatin alive. Sometimes the spray wins.

 

p.s. I'm knocking on wood too!

Edited May 15, 2018 by Mudfrog
Added a ps

[+J Grouchy]

47 minutes ago, Mudfrog said:

 

I'm down here in southeast Texas where ticks and redbugs are plentiful. I've been going out in the woods for around 50 years so i guess i'm just used to the notion that they will get on me at times. These bugs just don't bother me and i'd rather put up with them than put a chemical next to my skin that someday might cause me health problems or be caught up in a lawsuit. I'm also lucky in that i can touch poison ivy and not be bothered too much by it.

 

Mosquitoes bug me more and i do sometimes spray the junk on to keep them from carrying me off. It's one of those things i weigh, which is worse, chemicals or being eatin alive. Sometimes the spray wins.

 

p.s. I'm knocking on wood too!

 

Yeah, last June I spend a full day grabbing a Geo-Art with over 40 caches, most in the woods.  It being Georgia in the summer, I loaded up on the bug spray because of mosquitoes being so bad...so I suspect that may have helped me avoid ticks as well.  

[+PlantAKiss]

I use Sawyer and it’s worked great for me. I treat two sets of clothes (hat to shoes) for the woods. I took a tick that was crawling on my arm and put it on my shirt. The tick immediately started crawling around in circles and it’s legs curled up. And my shirt had been washed several times. I’m a tick magnet so it’s really reduced tick bites. I mark my treated clothing with a discrete X so I know which ones are treated.

 

Unfortunately I did get a tick on the back of my head. Apparently when I pulled it out the mouthpart must have been left in. Since then that spot swells and itches over and over and over.... It’s been many months. I think it’s called a granuloma. Probably didn’t have my hat on that day.

 

But I love my Sawyer!

[+J Grouchy]

Pertinent to the discussion:

https://gizmodo.com/bug-sprayed-clothing-really-does-keep-ticks-away-1826293900

 

Quote

A new CDC-led study published today in the Journal of Medical Entomologysuggests it might be a great time to invest in a new fashion trend: bug spray-laced clothing. The study found that clothing treated with permethrin was able to stop several species of disease-causing ticks in their tracks, either paralyzing them or making them fall off the clothes.

 

[+Viajero Perdido]

A little info for those of us in Canada, where we cannot buy permethrin that's labelled for treating clothes.  I did some research.  (I had a four-tick day last week, none embedded, but still...  So I'm motivated to resolve this nonsense.)

 

Visited a horse-supply store.  They have stuff at 0.5%, other stuff at 0.1%, but nothing really strong.  The gal said they don't get the strong stuff any more (I got the impression it's another government idea) because people were using it too strong.  Anyway, I didn't buy any because the horse stuff all stinks of citronella.  I hike in bear country and don't want to smell of anything if I can help it.

 

Then on the web I found stuff like this, in the gardening world:  Wilson Tree & Garden Insect Killer "Ambush".  Sounds like it's 1.25% ("12.5g/L"), and you're expected to dilute appropriately before using.  Not easy to find, but looks like an option.

https://www.ufa.com/products/ambush-tree-and-garden-insect-killer-500ml  (note picture is wrong)

... and at an onlline birding store I found roughly the same thing.  Why would a birding store carry gardening stuff?  Well, for the very same reason we're even having this discussion.

 

And today at the local Home Depot, I noticed liquid ant killer, a few brands that all contain 0.25% permethrin.  Hmm!  (Other ant killers work differently, read label!)  The bang/buck ratio is basically the same as the Ambush stuff in the last paragraph, and more importantly, I was holding the product in my hands.  Apparently the spray-on-your-clothes stuff (in enlightened countries) is 0.5%, but I figure, two treatments of 0.25% probably amount to the same thing.

 

Sorry, no link for the latter because Home Depot's website is useless for actual product detail.  I want active ingredient, not height and width.  Doofi.

 

Anyway, on my next hike I may be well protected against ants.  In case anybody in our government is reading this.

[+Viajero Perdido]

I can report that Wilson AntOut (one of the Home Depot options mentioned above) goes on odourless and dries invisibly.  It appears to contain no unwanted junk, other than a very tiny fractional percentage of something as preservative.  And at 0.25% permethrin at a good price, this appears to be a winner.

 

A fly drifted through my field of spray and fell with a thud.

 

Beware Home Depot ringing products up at the higher of two prices.  ("Now X, was Y").  Oh, they also carry Kombat icaridin-based repellent at a better price point than MEC.  If you can read dark grey on black, it says icaridin 20% and in my recent experience, that strength works well.  (I've never seen icaridin > 20%.)

 

 

Edited June 3, 2018 by Viajero Perdido