Tick Population

April 27, 2002

It seems the tick population is worse then ever in North Jersey this year. Most members of our team end up with ticks on them every time we visit a cache. I even found one on myself after walking in my back yard here in suburbia.

I grew up in Northern NJ (around 1969-1975), exploring the woods almost every day during the summer, and never remember having a tick on me.

Does anyone feel the same?

24.7k · April 27, 2002

Prior to this year I have only ever found one tick on myself. That's in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Alaska and California. 30+ Years. Then this year, I've found one on myself and one on my dog. It looks to be a dadgum good year for ticks.

April 28, 2002

I have been caching in some heavy brush lately and have yet to get a tick on me. I'm in Tampa, FL. If anyone else is in FL, where have you seen the biggest tick problem? I would be interested in knowing what trees or environment in FL are known to have ticks.

"I am umbilically connected to the temperate zone. It's brought me life. It's brought me love, I never have outgrown"----J. Buffett

38.2k · April 28, 2002

I've been hiking and backpacking in the northeast for many years and only twice have found a tick on my clothing (never on my body). I often, but not always, use a repellent. I wonder if my love for lots of garlic in my cooking (and also taking daily garlic suppliments) has anything to do with it. I know it seems to work with mosquitos. While others around me are attacked, I usually go relatively un bitten. On the downside, I haven't had a date in years.

I'm no biologist, but I bet the mild winter in the northeast has something to do with the increase in ticks this year (and I have noticed it).

I suggest using a DEET based repellent when out Geocaching. I know some parents are hesitant to use DEET on their kids, but I think insect borne diseases like West Nile Virus, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and Lyme are more dangerous than wearing DEET for a few hours. For additional protection use a pyrmethin (sp?) based repellent on your clothing. I never did go for the pants tucked in socks look, but that also helps, if you don't mind walking around looking like an wierdo. Wearing wearing light colored clothing is also a good idea, so you can spot the little buggers if they jump aboard to catch a ride and meal.

April 28, 2002

My wife and I counted about 10 ticks on us after finding a cache in Mississippi this weekend. We are paranoid now and will be spraying with deet from now on.

April 28, 2002

Ditto to what Plank just wrote, my wife and I were covered with at LEAST 10 ticks each coming from a cache find near Hilton Head, SC. Baby had only one on him, and he was in Mommy's arms.

Found two on me yesterday after logging a find here in Maryland near Annapolis... so it definately looks like a bumper crop for ticks and probably ALL insects this year because of the mild winter.

Love the outdoors, but I personally can do without the biting, disease carrying insects...

-FocalLength, Annapolis, MD.

2.6k · April 28, 2002

quote:
Originally posted by BrianSnat:
I've been hiking and backpacking in the northeast for many years and only twice have found a tick on my clothing (never on my body). I often, but not always, use a repellent. I wonder if my love for lots of garlic in my cooking (and also taking daily garlic suppliments) has anything to do with it. I know it seems to work with mosquitos. While others around me are attacked, I usually go relatively un bitten. On the downside, I haven't had a date in years.

I'm no biologist, but I bet the mild winter in the northeast has something to do with the increase in ticks this year (and I have noticed it).

I suggest using a DEET based repellent when out Geocaching. I know some parents are hesitant to use DEET on their kids, but I think insect borne diseases like West Nile Virus, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and Lyme are more dangerous than wearing DEET for a few hours. For additional protection use a pyrmethin (sp?) based repellent on your clothing. I never did go for the pants tucked in socks look, but that also helps, if you don't mind walking around looking like an wierdo. Wearing wearing light colored clothing is also a good idea, so you can spot the little buggers if they jump aboard to catch a ride and meal.

Just remember what Deet does to plastic, so be sure to wipe your hands before picking up your GPSR

4.5k · April 28, 2002

quote:
Originally posted by vagabond: ... Just remember what Deet does to plastic, so be sure to wipe your hands before picking up your GPSR

I've heard that fish won't bite on artificial lures if you get Deet on them. Any truth to this?

Alan

April 28, 2002

quote:
Originally posted by rghermes:
I have been caching in some heavy brush lately and have yet to get a tick on me. I'm in Tampa, FL. If anyone else is in FL, where have you seen the biggest tick problem? I would be interested in knowing what trees or environment in FL are known to have ticks.

I've picked up ticks in quite a few environments in Florida. Areas that have thick tall grass seem to be popular among ticks, as do palmetto bushes (my dad got several on his arm after brushing back one set of palmetto fronds.) Any forest area that's more than somewhat populated with trees, vines, and palmetto is also a good place to pick them up.

My experience has been that a good spray down with a DEET containing repellent, especially from the waist down, will keep most of the ticks off (unless you decide to roll around through the woods. )

April 30, 2002

quote:
Does anyone feel the same?

TICKS. If I never EVER find a tick, hell if I never see a tick it'll be too soon. I recently established a virtual cache in

Liberty State Park from something that was written up in Weird NJ> The article clearly referenced ticks but it totally escaped me. I found one on me that night, after I had bathed, then on on my arm at work the next day and again IN car when I left work. I debated for a few days over the sensibility of placing a cache in an area so clearly infested. I saw two caches within the next few days that clearly warned of ticks, so I figured it must've been too inadvisable as long as a warning is posted. Thought that'd be the end of the ticks but noooooo.... Went and did a beach cleanup saturday at Sandy Hook. They warned us of ticks. ...sound of my wife's eye rolling up in her head.... so we checked carefully afterwards, no ticks. 4 hours later my wife finds one wandering on her forehead. Fricking ticks. I HATE THEM

WUHOO TEAMGWHO!

May 2, 2002

Ticks thrive in areas where there are animals, especially deer. The deer population has rebounded in many areas and the deer may move into suburban areas where there has been no deer population for many decades. Therefore, more ticks.

FWIW,

CharlieP

4.5k · May 2, 2002

Actually, while deer are important, field mice are one of the main animals they use especially in the nymph stage. SO get out those mousetraps!

Alan

May 2, 2002

Found ticks at last couple of caches, goin for virtuals this year as am in Westchester, South CT area where they are the worst. Luckily most are dog ticks not deer ticks so West Nile chances are less. However, since deer ticks are so tiny & hard to see I'm not pushin my luck. Gonna do lots of "paved ground" caches this season.

May 2, 2002

I was in my back yard today for about 20 min, when I came out I had between 7-10 ticks on me.

Wyatt W.

The probability of someone watching you is directly proportional to the stupidity of your actions.

May 2, 2002

While caching in South Louisiana, and Mississippi, I have gotten at least 5 ticks on me that were dug in. Not a fun ordeal..

Down here where ever there are Pine Trees, you will find the creepy crawly litle blood sucking parasites, so beware, and dress acordingly.

Any other type of terrain, in this area, and you are probably ok.

Buck8Point

-------------------------

If I can't Fix it, It's Definately Broke.

1k · May 2, 2002

... but I'm not bitter

May 2, 2002

Actualy I would rather have a tick on me than a spider, I really hate spiders. I think it goes back to my childhood when a giant one was crawling all over may face at night.

Wyatt W.

The probability of someone watching you is directly proportional to the stupidity of your actions.

May 4, 2002

The spring around here (SC) is when I start to notice ticks. I started geocaching several months ago and found none until recently. I came home the other day and found 7 deer ticks on me. The next morning,I found one more! This is after an almost inch by inch check, and a very thorough scrub down. Deer ticks, by the way, are the ones you don't want to find! They can carry Lyme Disease. They are small,orange/brown with a black spot near the head, and about flea size.

Wood ticks are unlikely to cause problems. They are larger with a white head.

Now I spray before I dress with "Deep Woods Off" and spray again after I dress. I have not seen a tick again! It works for me!

Enjoy the hunt!

May 4, 2002

Ticks— I hate them! I went to the Winding River Run cache last Thanksgiving and came away with over 15 ticks. Don’t they know that they are not suppose to be out in the winter?

ps How do you post a picture here?

May 4, 2002

ya'll should really really read up on DEET before you use it. Deet can disolve plastics, tents, nylon etc.. if you get it on it. Not to mention that its relitively persistant bioaccumulative... meaning that it can show up in fatty tissues for a long long time (read :months) after u have used it. This stuff has been under close survailance by health agencies and may be banned in even 5% deet formulas... sure it works.. but its nasty stuff. in my opinion a Pyrethroid derivitive is the best stuff out there... it works and its safe.. both synthetic and organic pyrethroids (pyrethrm active ingredient)

Deet is nasty... and again, search the net for the truth about it.. its easy to find.. keep it off your kids at least.

The average american male has traces of 230 industrial chemicals at detectable levels in their bodies, approx. 70 of which are pesticides.

<-T 3 a |/| B a || d i T 0->

S [] U T |-| 3 U < |_ i D [] |-| | []

4.5k · May 4, 2002

Perethrin is suppose to be used on your clothes only. It's not that it's harmful to you, it's just that it becomes de-activated in about 20 minutes by the chemicals on your skin if used there. Are Perethroids different - do they continue to keep their insecticide powers when used on your skin?

Alan

May 4, 2002

Garlic is supposely a natural-homeopathic way to go to prevent the ticks and fleas from staying on you. Been using it (tablet and natural form) for several years with family and dogs with no problem. It's when we lay off the garlic is when the ticks show up on our dogs and 5 year old son.

It works with us

Garmin Vista

Garmin Street Pilot

May 5, 2002

my spelling stinks but i know a bit about them as I have a applicators liscense in 6 states.. so I can audit compliance with FIFRA and WPS = Federal insectacide, rodenticide and fungacide act and the Worker Protection Standard.

One is actually derived from Crysanthamums i believe, the other is a synthesized version.

Im checking on more details

<-T 3 a |/| B a || d i T 0->

S [] U T |-| 3 U < |_ i D [] |-| | []

1k · May 5, 2002

quote:
Originally posted by Ranger Roger:
Garlic is supposely a natural-homeopathic way to go to prevent the ticks and fleas from staying on you. ....It works with us

Not to mention I bet you haven't been attacked by vampires ... even once! Sorry ... couldn't resist!

June 13, 2002

but I ran across an article I thought might be of some interest. Much of the information is repeat but the one thing I really liked (and thought others might too) is a map that showed the Lyme disease risk for different areas of the US. The article also mentioned that the Lyme vaccination has been pulled from the market due to low demand. I know this has been mentioned before, I was just offering it as confirmation.

A link to the article can be found on the homepage of EMS Village (www.emsvillage.com). Just scroll down a little ways. The article is titled "Infection Connection - Tick Talk". I'd link directly to it but you have to register to see it. Registering is free.

GeoMedic - team leader of GeoStars

June 14, 2002

quote:
Originally posted by <-T3am Ba||dit0->:
ya'll should really really read up on DEET before you use it. Deet can disolve plastics, tents, nylon etc.. if you get it on it. Not to mention that its relitively persistant bioaccumulative... meaning that it can show up in fatty tissues for a long long time (read :months) after u have used it. []

For all you ladies out there and gents if any that polish their nails, DEET will EAT the polish. I assume it was the polish but it may have been my acrylic nails. I found this out after first use.

Scarlett

June 14, 2002

quote:
Originally posted by <-T3am Ba||dit0->:
ya'll should really really read up on DEET before you use it. Deet can disolve plastics, tents, nylon etc.. if you get it on it. Not to mention that its relitively persistant bioaccumulative... meaning that it can show up in fatty tissues for a long long time (read :months) after u have used it. []

For all you ladies out there and gents if any that polish their nails, DEET will EAT the polish. I assume it was the polish but it may have been my acrylic nails. I found this out after first use.

Scarlett

38.2k · June 14, 2002

I agree with Roger. Garlic works. As I wrote in an earlier post here, I eat lots of garlic, both in my cooking and by taking a daily garlic oil suppliment. I've only found a couple of ticks on me in 20 plus years of hiking, backpacking, field archaeology and now, Geocaching.

When the mosquitos are out, I usually go relatively unbothered, while others around me are being eaten alive. Must be something to it.

June 14, 2002

Uno and I tracked down a cache last weekend here in Northern VA tat was in an extremely infested field. By the time we had gotten back to the car, we had easily picked up at least 25 each of the little buggers. We got them all off of our clothes and stripped as soon as we got home. Only found one more inside my shirt and then one in the wash after we did the laundry. But 3 days later, our dog had one on her nose so there must have been at least one more hiding somewhere.

Nasty little beasts

Dep

June 14, 2002

My biggest concern is Lyme desiese. My dogs get a shot every year but as far as I know there is nothing avaliable for us. I have been told you have 2 days from when the tick atatches itself. So I would strongly suggest checking yourself for ticks after every outing. I do work for a vet and she say this is a bad year for tick. Please note not all tick carry Lyme Desiese. I will try to find my chart and post it later the ones that do.

June 17, 2002

The best product I've found for tick protection is called "Permathin". You can find it in the sporting goods isle at Walmart. A can costs around $5.00

Permathin is a product you apply to your clothing, not your skin. One application lasts 2 weeks and through 2 washings.

I apply it to my boots, hat, backpack, pants, shirt and jacket. If I'm wearing shorts, I will use a deet product on my legs and arms. I avoid deet on my hands because as mentioned above, it will eat plastic.

Last spring while turkey hunting, I used Permathin and my hunting partner did not. We were with each other at all times. He was constantly pulling ticks off him, approx 100 ticks that weekend. I didnt have a single one!!

I swear by Permathin

GrouseTales Guide Service

June 17, 2002

This is not an ad, just an endorsement My dog has had the "Preventic" tick collar now for about a year (good for 2-3 months each) and we have been thrilled with it. We got it from our vet and it is OK for use with the Frontline flea products(oil).

When tramping through the fields and forests of Eastern PA, he used to come home with 5 or 6 each trip. We will occasionally find one crawling on his back or something, but that is it. Saturday, I had 6 on me and he had none. Thinking about getting 1 for myself .

June 19, 2002

Holy Crap Batman! I hit the Holy Grail of Ticks in a wooded park outside of Winnipeg MB Canada this past weekend. I was brushing them off my legs like mosquitoes. We stopped counting at 100! For the next three days were are still feeling crawly and creepy. Burn the forest and get rid of them all -- start life over. Screw it -- Nuke em. ;-)

June 21, 2002

North central PA has seen an increase in ticks this year. Some areas seem to be more infested than others. Went to 4 caches with no difficulty but teh area near the local golf course is a real hot spot. None there last year.

November 15, 2011

Pike county in NEPA is a tick hot spot. A recent day hunting grouse on the SGL and we picked close to a hundred for the day. As a kid we never saw a one.

19k · November 15, 2011

Pike county in NEPA is a tick hot spot. A recent day hunting grouse on the SGL and we picked close to a hundred for the day. As a kid we never saw a one.

Thank you for your prompt reply to this thread. :lol:

3.4k · November 15, 2011

Early rainy season here - Ticks will be out in Central California. Poo.

2.4k · November 15, 2011

Early rainy season here - Ticks will be out in Central California. Poo.

Ticks will be in Central California poo?

I've never seen ticks in poo. I don't know why they would be there.

Well I guess I won't worry unless I step in it.

November 15, 2011

We probably get 50-100 ticks every year between my pooch and me. I just pull 'em off both of us and then burn 'em. If it seems to be a particularly year bad I will get a anti tick collar - for the dog...

Here on the beginning of the Canadian Prairies tick season starts in April but is usually over by late June. I do check for deer ticks and our dog gets regular check-ups.

Edited November 15, 2011 by phlatlander

3.6k · November 15, 2011

Yes if you have a problem with ticks Permethrin is the best way to go. You don't put it on your skin but spray it on your clothes and it lasts 6 weeks or 6 washings and is harmless to humans and pets. It either will repel or kill the ticks. Around here in spring and summer we get plenty of ticks. They crawl up weeds or other type of grain plants and sit and wait. You can actually see them piled up at the tips of the plants. As you walk by they grab and hitch a ride and crawl up either inside or outside your clothes. So why not repel them before they attach to your skin? Why put Deet on your skin if your worried about it. But they stress NOT to use both Permethrin and Deet at the same time because of the chemical reaction.

November 15, 2011

You know I JUST commented on this very subject over on a letterboxing site.

All summer(and we were going through woods and grass as high as my chest) and fall before the snow hit up here in MA on halloween, not a tick on me at all. Dog only picked up 2 visible ticks and hubby had one embed(dog tick). Even prior to this year I have hardly ever gotten a tick despite how much wooded area we romp through(fishing hiking etc). I usually check.

After the snow and the warm up, tick heaven. I went to a park to do some boxing(found the caches there already) because it was a nice day out, found at least 4 deer ticks(apparently all female ones. had to look it up because they had an orangey color on the back of them) on me including a wee baby one on my pants. Had them between my layers of clothing. I all but stripped in the little zoo area they have in the park just to tick check. Another nearby local park just walking around, two more small deer ticks. Never seen this many ticks at once in my life. Let alone in the in the span of two days.

Perhaps I'm just not in the grassy areas or such in the fall much. i dont know but I swear its crazy right now.

Edited November 15, 2011 by frogcooke

November 15, 2011

One cache sticks in my mind. .19 mile round trip from parking to cache and back. My wife came out with 25+ ticks on her clothing. I had NONE. Our caching buddy 3. End of caching for the day......

November 15, 2011

One cache sticks in my mind. .19 mile round trip from parking to cache and back. My wife came out with 25+ ticks on her clothing. I had NONE. Our caching buddy 3. End of caching for the day......

I wanted to go caching this past sunday but then thought of the ticks i got recently and decided a trip to wooded areas was not actually in our best interest.

November 15, 2011

Living is South GA dealing with ticks when in the woods is always a concern. A trick my father taught me works well. Get two dog tick collars and where them around your boots when I do this I have 0 problems with ticks. When I don't I normally end up with one or two on my clothing. I rarely have one get on my skin.

November 15, 2011

Bad choice of words. Sorry.

Edited November 16, 2011 by TheLoneGrangers

6.1k · November 15, 2011

The OP passed away a few years ago.

10.2k · November 15, 2011

The OP passed away a few years ago.

I wasn't going to say anything, but that was a very unfortunate choice of words. Of course they didn't know. This isn't too awkward, is it?

2.6k · November 15, 2011

The OP passed away a few years ago.

Here's the memorial: LINK

10.2k · November 15, 2011

The OP passed away a few years ago.

Here's the memorial: LINK

Placed by his daughters. And of course an earlier one placed by BrianSnat

19k · November 16, 2011

The OP passed away a few years ago.

Here's the memorial: LINK

Placed by his daughters. And of course an earlier one placed by BrianSnat

Those are both very, very cool caches. I am touched. Helmut was apparently a very cool guy who left quite a legacy.

Tick Population

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