This may seem like an odd question,but do some people have a natural defence against ticks?In all my years kicking around in the woods I have only had to remove two ticks,once in 1972 when I was twelve after a day roaming the fields and woods of my grandfathers farm,and once in 1989 after a day practicing for a change of command ceremony on a grassy field at Ft. Campbell.I have spent a lot of time in the woods,including four years as an 11Bravo,and tick checks sometimes revealed dozens on some soldiers and none on others.I have never used bug dope,I used to eat vitamin B and bananas to help repel skeeters when on missions in hot humid climates while in the army.I have also never used aftershave,colonge,or scented deoderants,can't stand the stench.Any theories?
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Why no ticks?
- Thread starter willis
- Start date
- Joined
- Dec 1, 2001
- Messages
- 2,871
willis:
Must be the 'luck of the Irish'! Or you must have been at the right place at the right time! Ticks usually drop off a host when 'full' and live on that blood until they need another 'host'. Anybody or anything brushing up against the grass, bush, etc. becomes the next likely 'host' if they aren't found before they attach themselves.
As a sideline, I used to think Scottish Terriers had some type of 'built-in' repellant for fleas. I never had a problem with this breed getting the little buggers until my last Scottie came down with them! Had to have the house fumigated!
As to your tick non-problem - I don't believe ticks are attracted to the scent of aftershave or deodorants. It's just a haphazard search for the next 'host'. Consider yourself lucky!
Must be the 'luck of the Irish'! Or you must have been at the right place at the right time! Ticks usually drop off a host when 'full' and live on that blood until they need another 'host'. Anybody or anything brushing up against the grass, bush, etc. becomes the next likely 'host' if they aren't found before they attach themselves.
As a sideline, I used to think Scottish Terriers had some type of 'built-in' repellant for fleas. I never had a problem with this breed getting the little buggers until my last Scottie came down with them! Had to have the house fumigated!
As to your tick non-problem - I don't believe ticks are attracted to the scent of aftershave or deodorants. It's just a haphazard search for the next 'host'. Consider yourself lucky!
- Joined
- Mar 28, 2002
- Messages
- 111
I have found the same.... my Wife is targeted by just about everything, I say its because she must smell of S*#T, She tells my its because she so sweet. Our two dogs are the same ones a tick magnet the other stays clear. I was told by a medic once I had thick skin and did'nt bleed easy ???. I think it could be down to Garlic and Chilli with every meal....they just find me :barf:
MacHete
Hair Cropper & Chipmunk Wrangler
- Joined
- Apr 7, 2000
- Messages
- 2,559
This is the first I have heard of banana consumption warding off mosquitoes. What is the idea behind it? I seem to attract skeeters and spiders, and expect to die of West Nile complications before the summer is over. I've only had a few ticks on me, and fewer in me. The better part of them finding me on drill weekends at Ft. Knox.
My father is never bitten or stung by anything. It is amazing and annoying to watch him knock occupied wasp's nests off of his window boxes withhis hands. I am an armchair entomologist, and read whatever I find about the pests that afflict me. It is apparently very difficult to research individual susceptability to bug bites. Theories abound, many quite sound scientifically, but no one knows just yet.
My father is never bitten or stung by anything. It is amazing and annoying to watch him knock occupied wasp's nests off of his window boxes withhis hands. I am an armchair entomologist, and read whatever I find about the pests that afflict me. It is apparently very difficult to research individual susceptability to bug bites. Theories abound, many quite sound scientifically, but no one knows just yet.