Nature therapy and ticks

[gyork]

We are all hopefully getting outside more lately, but be aware that ticks are very active already. I've been out in the fields quite a bit lately, sugaring and mending fences.  2 weeks ago a found a tick climbing my bathroom wall, and last week Susie ripped off an engorged tick off my right upper back (no rash, took the standard doxy X2 as precaution). This morning, I pulled off a surface (fur) tick off cat #1, after he came in from playing outdoors (screen porch-our babies are indoor cats). Pix of deer tick below with mm scale. 'nuf said?

 

Edited March 25, 2020 by gyork

[Ken]

Ugh, I've been treated for lyme disease three times and pulled many ticks off over the last few years.  Time to re-treat all my gardening clothes with permethrin and remember my picaridin spray every time I go out to work in the garden.  And right now, I don't have much else to do beside work in the garden.

Thanks for the reminder.  

-Ken

 

Edited March 25, 2020 by Ken

[gyork]

Update: 'nother tick (engorged) on same cat!

[prudenceb]

For once being a city gal isn't such a bad thing!

[Daniel Carr]

• Thanks for the reminder that the little bastards are back on the move
• How long does doxy keep?.  I have a supply that is over two years old.
• Here is a link to a company selling tick removal and identification kits.  The best setup I have seen https://mainelyticks.com/shop/

[Ken]

No idea who long doxy is good for.  I know (from experience unfortunately) that if you discover a tick that may have been on for 24 hours,  you take two doses as a prophylactic to prevent infection.  And I know (again from unfortunate experience) that when you have a welt the size of a dinner plate on your thigh, you do a three-week cycle.  

What I do now is spray all my gardening clothes with 0.5% permethrin.  I bought one of the Sawyer spray bottles.  But when it ran out, I just bought a bottle of 10% liquid (liquid, not wettable powder which I use for ants) and I dilute it 19:1 and refill the spray bottle.  I do the shoes, socks, and pants I use for gardening once in the spring.  Middle of sumer, I'll redo the socks and shoes.

-K