Ticks.

trailbum

trailbum

Joined
Sep 18, 2010
Messages
3,493
What is the deal with ticks this year.
Everytime me and my son go for a hike we pull at least 8-10 ticks off of ourselves.

I'm not freaked out by ticks but why so many.


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Go to a feed store and pick up a box of cow tags. Put it on your pack or something, but not on bare skin. If you're in open fields put it on your boot. In wooded areas put it up higher. Ticks will fall on you from trees. Anyway, the cow tags keep everything off.
 
Been having similar issues here in the South. Article in Time magazine said there would be a huge increase in tick/human encounters this year due to a serious decline in field mouse population stemming from a loss of what they were used to feeding on--pecans or something like that. They were predicting that, without its favorite host (the mouse), they would turn more towards woods-walking humans for meals--unfortunately, it looks like it is coming true :grumpy:
 
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Coming from Ontario Canada, I have never had any ticks attach themselves to me.....until this year! I thought it was some dirt that I picked off until it started to move on the table. Oh well I guess this year I'll have to be vigilant.
 
In short it looks like warm weather is what is doing it for you. You've just had the 5th warmest winter on record with an average well above the norm. This trend continued into March, and it fact it was even more than the average then than the increase above the winter average. The good news is the mosquitoes aren't going to storm you for a little while.
 
I've had quite a few ticks this year as well, and had several attached to my cats, and one on my dog. I hate ticks, each and every one of them get burnt on sight. This is the first year I've seen ticks before May, too. Had some in March. Has to be the heat, as it was in the 80's in March here. I can't remember that ever happening before.
 
We had no winter to speak of here...and I have been having problems since the last month of what was supposed to be winter. I knew the summer was going to be bad. I wonder if they have ticks in northern Nova Scotia ?
 
I found a couple last week. Both were the larger type not deer ticks and I hadnt been bitten yet.
 
Ticks are bad where I am also. Ive tried many brands of repellent and this seems to work best for me. One spray lasts all day.
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Here in Middle Europe ticks are a big problem. I had already about 20 this year. But some years ago it was much more. February was pretty cold here. Once I got an infection on FSME, a disease which is taken from ticks. That disease can cause even death. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tick-borne_encephalitis Little beasts! I hate them really.

Kind regards
 
May\June is the worst around here, Saskatchewan, Canada. Very mild winter last year and the river bottoms are crawling with them.
 
Ticks are bad everywhere this year. Be sure your animals are treated with Advantix or whatever your vet prescribes. Also, you can spray your clothes with permetrin (not on your skin). Gamehide sells pants and shirts that repel ticks, and they actually work. Pricey (about $80 for the pants) but worth it (to me, at least). Our early season was bad, but the recent hot weather (100* plus) seems to havs put them down a bit. You can also get a spray for animals that you can use with Advantix; it's supposed to kill them on contact. Inspect your whole body when you return home, especially your crotch, underarms, and waist under your belt.

Animals can get erlichosis, which affects their joints.

Good luck.

Richard
 
i live in suthern arizona and there are ticks all year round and its allways hot here even in the winter but any way i live in the city and ticks are still a big problem
 
I'm in Nova Scotia, just turned 55 this year, and only had my first tick attach to me two days after my birthday. Found it while showering, just below my left knee. The next day, a second, just below my right knee. Apparently, aged meat tastes better to them. Yesterday, I spent about 4 hours in the woods, just hiking and photographing - as of last night I accounted for 18 walking on my pants or hidden in seams.
 
Strangely, the ticks are not as bad at my place this year as they were last year. There is this area behind my house that is usually infested, but I have only picked up one so far this season. Ironic, since I live about an hour from Lyme (yes, THAT Lyme).
 
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