&$(%*&@$ TICKS!

[Taylortractornut]

They are bad here, we are still getting winter ticks. You always see 2 together and they arent like deer ticks. A few years ago I walked outside down by the lower garden and felt something on both legs. It was full sized ticks climbing yp my legs. I got about 45 off me. THey were getting on by the few left over strands of winter grass in the yard. I burnt one end of the property to the other and sprayed one time and it cleared it up. I noticed this year we didnt have any seed ticks at all.

Dad told me when he was a boy land owners used to get together and light all the woods and feilds and such. He said it cut down on under brush, ticks and chiggers and fleas.

 

[oldboyscout]

I don't like to spray, but looks like I'll have to. What are any of you using to kill em off with?

 

[RobertBrown]

I have read the Guinea hens will eat the ticks and work pretty well to get rid of them.
They also make a good alarm system.
I do not have any first hand knowledge of this and I'm sure there's a down side.

 

[Western]

You must not have chiggers!
If you had chiggers you would forget all about the ticks.
We have both here, ticks are easy compared to chiggers...aka red bugs.

Same thing I said and agree 1,000% Seems like the more you "scratch'm" the worse it gets. I cant imagine getting them on top of Poison Ivy since I am susceptible to PI.

I have found that a mild solution of bleach water, used before scratching kills the h3ll out of chiggers though without much sting.

 

[dmccarty]

Bout the only thing worse than chiggers, is getting chiggers on top of poison ivy. Thats enough to head to the hospital and tell the Doc - "put me in a medically induced coma, don't wake me up till the ivy has healed and the chigger bumps are gone".

Pure TORTURE!!

That is BAD.

My body does not react as badly to chigger bites anymore. :thumbsup:

Years ago I found the only over the counter treatment that worked was Benedryl lotion for the bites and Benedryl pills. The pills would put me out which was a blessing but I would be in a fog during the day because of the drug. Really do not like the pill but if you are on fire from the itching you gotta do what you gotta do.

Chiggers and Poison Ivy is a level of he..ll that Dante did not know about.

Later,
Dan

 

[rekees4300]

Is it just me or have ticks been way worse than EVER. I spent all the time I could in the woods for the last 47 years and NEVER saw a tick (NE PA). Now I go out to stack firewood and I have one attached. It's been ridiculous the last few years.
I don't know how I'm going to live in the country if I can't go outside without needing an antibiotic.

It's not just you. Here it is the middle of December and my dogs are still getting Deer Ticks. I woke up a month ago and found one of those little bastards (ticks not dogs) attached under my right arm. It took 3 weeks before the itching stopped and the spot still hasn't healed completely. IMHO it has something to do with climate change. Never used to see any ticks this late in the year but like you said the last few years they are common. In the Summer I always spray bug repellent below the knees before cutting lawn or weed whacking. That seems to help not only with ticks but chiggers too.

 

[dmccarty]

There is a little metal tick puller we buy at REI. Local drug stores might have them. The tool is a flat piece of metal with an angled notch cut out of the tip. MOST of the time you slip the tool between the skin and the tick. Then the tick can be easily and cleanly popped out. If the tick has been in for awhile that can be a problem. Usually they just pop right out.

Later,
Dan

 

[forgeblast]

Dan you beat me to saying get a TICK KEY, it was a 1.50 at an outdoor store and you just slip it right over the tick. great device, its on every one of my key chains.

 

[jonyyuma]

The ticks are under the wood and logs so now the Frost is not killing them very well..At least brushing againest a tree limb, should not leave one on you now?

 

[dmccarty]

Dan you beat me to saying get a TICK KEY, it was a 1.50 at an outdoor store and you just slip it right over the tick. great device, its on every one of my key chains.

Tick key is a danged good name for it. I will have to remember that name.

The Tick Key, , I buy has a little magnifying glass which we find useless and a little instruction booklet. The Tick Key is all Ye Need! :laughing:

Later,
Dan