Solo geocaching and TICKS

[+Aceey]

We have a group of geocachers from the area that have a contest to see who gets the most tick's on themselves this summer. Currently I believe I am last since I have yet to find one on myself. Poison Ivy on the other hand my arch enemy, which I have now had 3 times this summer, can't even look at the stuff.

 

Aceey

Edited August 28, 2019 by Aceey
added to my post

[+igator210]

This won't answer the question about what to do when you get a tick, but my current defense:

My normal caching clothes are heavily treated with Permethrin. I'll go through a few treatments a year. This stops most ticks during planned outings. I also have treated mesh gaiters, a mesh belt and mesh forearm bands that I can put on in the field for impromptu trips. and provide a barrier for anything trying to crawl around.

This has worked well, except when I was in Ontario Canada a few weeks ago and got mobbed my Dog Ticks.

[+Mudfrog]

I grew up messing around in the woods and have had ticks, redbugs, mosquitos, spiders, snakes, you name it, get on and bite me. Very rarely do I ever use any kind of repellent. I get ticks, I pull them off using my finger nails. If one gets embedded, I pull off what I can get and let my body do whatever it wants with the rest. 

 

Having said that, I'm sure there are areas that have a higher percentage of disease carrying ticks and I wouldn't blame anyone for taking precautions in those areas. The area we're in, , I'm fine going about my camping/geocaching/hiking business without applying chemicals that I'm sure can cause ill affects down the road.

[+kunarion]

3 hours ago, Mudfrog said:

I grew up messing around in the woods and have had ticks, redbugs, mosquitos, spiders, snakes, you name it, get on and bite me. Very rarely do I ever use any kind of repellent. I get ticks, I pull them off using my finger nails. If one gets embedded, I pull off what I can get and let my body do whatever it wants with the rest. 

 

Having said that, I'm sure there are areas that have a higher percentage of disease carrying ticks and I wouldn't blame anyone for taking precautions in those areas. The area we're in, , I'm fine going about my camping/geocaching/hiking business without applying chemicals that I'm sure can cause ill affects down the road.

 

+1

I've always just pulled a tick with my fingernails.  I have a "Tick Key", but it only works on particular ticks in specific places.  I have tweezers, and always give up and use fingernails.  But I have seen some tools and kits I may get someday.  To keep on hand.  Or to drop in my caches.

 

I have Permethrin clothing, the big pieces are professionally treated.  Permethrin is poison, so by definition, it's not "safe".  We each have to weigh the benefits and disadvantages, and decide. 

[+cerberus1]

12 hours ago, Mudfrog said:

I grew up messing around in the woods and have had ticks, redbugs, mosquitos, spiders, snakes, you name it, get on and bite me. Very rarely do I ever use any kind of repellent. I get ticks, I pull them off using my finger nails. If one gets embedded, I pull off what I can get and let my body do whatever it wants with the rest. 

Having said that, I'm sure there are areas that have a higher percentage of disease carrying ticks and I wouldn't blame anyone for taking precautions in those areas. The area we're in, , I'm fine going about my camping/geocaching/hiking business without applying chemicals that I'm sure can cause ill affects down the road.

Lucky...

I've had severe arthritis, and bronchitis-like ailments since the '90s due to Lyme disease.   I'm a bit more careful now. 

Can't even go near a friend's pet mice without having breathing problems.

 - Those not aware, Lyme comes from a mouse,  and transmitted to the tick that fed on it.

I have a relative with no use of their legs, now spending the rest of their life in a wheelchair. 

Their hair turned white, then fell out at 25.  Let their " body do what it wants" and paid for it.

[+cerberus1]

8 hours ago, kunarion said:

I have Permethrin clothing, the big pieces are professionally treated.  Permethrin is poison, so by definition, it's not "safe".  We each have to weigh the benefits and disadvantages, and decide. 

 

Yep.    

I'm glad that our military decided that treating our service member's clothes outweighed any "possible" medical issues later.

The last thing they need to be concerned with is simple stuff that's easily remedied. 

[+Joe_L]

1 hour ago, cerberus1 said:

- Those not aware, Lyme comes from a mouse,  and transmitted to the tick that fed on it.

 Thanks for that.  I think that piece of information gets lost in many discussions.  The deer, on the other hand, do a great job of distributing the ticks.

[+BugLuv]

On 7/3/2019 at 10:29 AM, cerberus1 said:

Lucky...

I've had severe arthritis, and bronchitis-like ailments since the '90s due to Lyme disease.   I'm a bit more careful now. 

Can't even go near a friend's pet mice without having breathing problems.

 - Those not aware, Lyme comes from a mouse,  and transmitted to the tick that fed on it.

I have a relative with no use of their legs, now spending the rest of their life in a wheelchair. 

Their hair turned white, then fell out at 25.  Let their " body do what it wants" and paid for it.

 

Obviously, it’s a personal choice, but really wanted to emphasize the bad diseases ticks can carry. I typically don’t use chemicals but take precautions against ticks. You can prevent a lot of latch-on by just understanding tick habitats, local tick season and dressing like I stated above in those areas and during that tick season. 

Edited July 5, 2019 by BugLuv

[+VAVAPAM]

On 6/23/2019 at 6:18 PM, thebruce0 said:

little chance of being an issue if done properly

 

Maine U Cooperative Extension explains some techniques in YouTube video.  (I wonder how they talked the demo guy into volunteering!)

 

Tick Removal - You Tube

[+JohnCNA]

On 7/6/2019 at 2:57 AM, VAVAPAM said:

 

Maine U Cooperative Extension explains some techniques in YouTube video.  (I wonder how they talked the demo guy into volunteering!)

 

Tick Removal - You Tube

I can highly recommend the 'tick spoon' for removing ticks. I have tried other tools for both me and my dog and the spoon has been the easiest and most reliable. 

Tick spoon

[+kunarion]

1 hour ago, JohnCNA said:

I can highly recommend the 'tick spoon' for removing ticks. I have tried other tools for both me and my dog and the spoon has been the easiest and most reliable. 

Tick spoon

 

I see a similar device on ebay for about 50 cents each.  That's my swag price-point for sure. 

 

One issue I have with these "tools" is when it doesn't work for whatever reason, and now you resort to using whatever you find in the bottom of your pack, or just fingernails.  I mean, it should work, but this time, nope.

 

Check it out!  I just now found a stainless steel kind!  About $2 each, but you can sterilize steel.  Plus there's a 3-piece set with two kinds of tweezers.  That's what I'm talkin bout.  For each situation, maybe something in that set will do the trick.

 

Edited July 13, 2019 by kunarion

[+TheEcoCacher]

As an avid hiker and backcountry sportsman, I often have to deal with ticks and mosquitoes. Here in Manitoba, we know how to grow our mosquitoes really big to the point where they will carry away children, pets, and small livestock.

That said, Watkins insect repellent is a lotion based deterant that also fends off ticks. It's higher deet content (zero DDT), makes it far less concerning than repellants used way back when.

Addition measures are to wear light colored pants and long sleeved shirts so you can see when they're on you. Wear long socks in your hiking boots, and perform regular tick checks on yourself and others in your group.

 

A few facts about lyme disease.

It's only carried by female deer ticks which are substantiallysmaller than your common wood tick.

Females appear larger than the males with a distinct red on their back. Search google images to see the comparison.

By removing any ticks carrying the disease within 24 hours, you substantially reduce the risk of contracting lyme disease by about 95%.

Only about 1 in 20 (5%) of female deer ticks are carriers (atleast in my area).

You can send deer ticks to a local laboratory (at least this is available across Canada. Please check your local area) to be checked for the disease so you know whether or not you need to be concerned.

An infected tick will present a bullseye looking rash in the area where it fed.

And there is a way to treat/live with lyme disease for those interested.  https://www.spiritoftheboreal.com

 

Furthermore and of larger concern to myself as a carnivore, is the Lonestar tick which when infected with its bacteria will bind to your blood cells. This reaction makes you unable to consume red meat without becoming violently ill. They are identified by the single white dot which can (but not always) appear as a 4 pointed star on its back. Sorry, but I have no further advise for this little guy.

 

Don't forget your about your pets. There is some great flee/tick meds out there for them as well. My pup has a chewable that guards against ticks for 90 days. The ticks will still latch on, but she gets brushed daily and the ticks are always found dead and dry of blood.

 

Be safe out there!

TEC.

 

[+cerberus1]

1 hour ago, TheEcoCacher said:

As an avid hiker and backcountry sportsman, I often have to deal with ticks and mosquitoes. Here in Manitoba, we know how to grow our mosquitoes really big to the point where they will carry away children, pets, and small livestock.

That said, Watkins insect repellent is a lotion based deterant that also fends off ticks. It's higher deet content (zero DDT), makes it far less concerning than repellants used way back when.

          And the gnats aren't much fun either.

 

DDT has been banned since 1972 in the US and Canada, in the 80s most of Europe, and finally most countries in 2004.

There's only a handful of countries that still use it.

26-30% DEET is the standard these days, with less not as good, and more not a difference  (for those who still use DEET).  

 

[+thebruce0]

7 hours ago, TheEcoCacher said:

Furthermore and of larger concern to myself as a carnivore, is the Lonestar tick which when infected with its bacteria will bind to your blood cells. This reaction makes you unable to consume red meat without becoming violently ill. They are identified by the single white dot which can (but not always) appear as a 4 pointed star on its back. Sorry, but I have no further advise for this little guy.

 

Yep we had an instance of the Lonestar tick in London Ontario where the news about their infection was passed around.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/london/london-lone-star-tick-veterinarian-1.5197977

 

More info about the red meat allergy that a lone star tick can ignite: https://acaai.org/allergies/types/food-allergies/types-food-allergy/meat-allergy

[+Joe_L]

19 hours ago, TheEcoCacher said:

You can send deer ticks to a local laboratory (at least this is available across Canada. Please check your local area) to be checked for the disease so you know whether or not you need to be concerned.

Pennsylvania started something like this through East Stroudsburg University.

 

https://www.ticklab.org/