Watch Out For Ticks Even In March

[+GrnXnham]

A couple of weeks ago, after a full day of geocaching in the woods, I pulled a tick off of the back of my neck. It had it's head dug-in fairly well.

 

I was very surprised, given the fact that February in western Washington is not the tick season. I guess you can get them any time of the year and we had walked through a lot of thick brush that day. Plus, the weather has been warm.

 

Just wanted to give everyone a heads-up that ticks can be out there right now and it may not hurt to check each other out after a day of geocaching in the woods even this early in the season.

 

Go here for info on prevention and removal of ticks:

 

 

http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/rmsf/Prevention.htm

Edited March 4, 2005 by GrnXnham

[+Logscaler and Red]

I had one on me - but not in - December 26, 2004 near Eugene after a trip around Pisgah Park.

 

Not cold and wet enough to do the little buggers damage I guess.

 

Logscaler

[+Sagefox]

You guys are lucky in Washington. Here in Northern coastal California these little pests are active several times of the year. The deer tick has three cycles in its little life where it goes out hunting mammals. I often have to walk through grassy areas for my job (and for geocaching) and often have to flick several ticks off my clothing before I get back in the car.

 

Pesky little buggers. We who live with them, especially dog owners, just pull them out using our finger nails as tweezers while not squeezing the tick body. They pop right out.

 

A Washington state doctor once botched a tick removal from our then 3 year old son. Residing in Seattle at the time we had never seen one before and neither had the doc. He tried the hot wire method which promptly killed the tick. Then he used tweezers and managed to separate the head from the body which led to surgical removal and a couple of stitches. Our son was not amused.

 

When we moved to CA our new neighbors showed us how to get the job done without all the fuss.

[+justybug]

i guess this is something new for me to watch out for. i've never been attacked by one yet.. go figure..

[+5]

That's interesting...I've lived all my life in western WA and I don't think I've ever seen one here. Only over on the east side...Of the Cascades, not Redmond or Kirkland...

[+Prying Pandora]

They're definitely in the area. I work with dogs, and I must have picked 4 ticks off different dogs during the past year. None of the dogs had traveled out of South King County.

[+TotemLake]

That's interesting...I've lived all my life in western WA and I don't think I've ever seen one here. Only over on the east side...Of the Cascades, not Redmond or Kirkland...

I remember seeing one questing on the end of a long stalk of grass I was walking through when I was on Lord Hill over in Monroe. It is amazing how large those little buggers become when your sight focuses on it all of a sudden. I started beating the grass back with my hiking staff as I walked that path.

[+Logscaler and Red]

Just picked two off me today in the Redmond, Oregon area.

 

Getting way to warm way to fast. Not cold and wet enought his year to smite the littel beggers.

 

But the good side is, the grass and brush fires we will have this summer should roast a lot of them.

 

Logscaler.

[+Patudles]

One grabbed me while I was caching in Spokane last weekend! Guess this year I will look funny as I hike along with my socks out over my pantlegs.

[+Lazyboy & Mitey Mite]

The ticks are out and the poison oak is active. Warm winter.....