On a serious note - great article and very timely. This this past weekend I found a hitchhiker on a rock climb. Gave me the creeps. These little critters freak me out.
Harkens memories of my early scouting adventures. One outing I ended up with a tick in the back of my neck just into the hair line. Tweezers were ineffective and the old match solution wasn't viable. One of the leaders applied melted butter and the bugger backed right out.
Also when returning home make sure to inspect your canine companion as well. Especially around the head and chest. We have given up taking our dog on certain hikes because of tick annoyance.
Sometimes I find few or no ticks on me, but several on my dogs. On my dogs, ticks tend to try to imbed around the ears, chest, arm (leg) pits and groin area. I've recently tried tick collars in addition to Revolution flea prevention that is mildly effective against ticks. I haven't used anything that is totally effective yet.
I frequent areas with ticks and have had a few burrow into me, so researching them is not new to me. I now get a lump and irrtitating itch that lasts for weeks to months if one manages to dig into me even for a short time. The article is a great summary of what I have found. My most frequent encounters with ticks are in the Diablo Range west of Henry Coe State Park. My most severe encounters have been around Junipero Serra Peak near the Ventana Wilderness. I susepct it is due to relatively high moisture levels and lack of severe winters on the Central Coast, but I generally recall finding ticks to be most bothersome January-April. Come to think of it, one latched onto my neck/hairline in the Ishi Wilderness (near Red Bluff) one Decemeber. I guess I'd point out, based on my experiences in non-alpine portions of CA, to be on your guard in winter/the rainy season in addition to the spring/summmer that follows.
In the east, soft-shell ticks are a problem in some areas; tiny deer ticks in others. Even in parts of Nevada, soft-bodied ticks carry relapsing fever, which is fairly serious.
Once permethrin is dried onto your clothes, it isn't much of a health threat to cats. The big problem was when people would buy spray made for dogs (which one sprays directly on the dog), and spray cats. The toxic effects are much greater for cats than dogs. The concern for aquatic life comes mainly for people who buy large amounts of the pesticide, spray it over lawns, golf courses, restaurants, etc., and then have large quantities drain into Koi ponds and the like.
If you are confident in your handling of the stuff, you can buy bonide 13% permethrin, or even 37% SFR, and dilute it yourself (at least 20 to 50-fold), treating all your outdoor tick-susceptible clothes at once. Agway sells it, and there are only 2 states where you can't buy it without a permit. HOWEVER, the highly concentrated forms of permethrin are cut with Kerosene, and if you opt for the cheapy treatment, your clothes will smell like kerosene till the end of time.
My brother had Lyme disease, but caught it when he recognized the bulls-eye mark, so he didn't need the IV drip. However, I think only about 30% of infected people get the bulls-eye. ;^(
This is really useful. I have picked up the odd tick in the hills in Scotland or other mountainous areas in the UK. Fortunatley they don't seem to attack en mass like you describe in the US - but even so, your very practical advice is useful and I picked up a few new tips.
Actually the biggest sufferer (albeit uncomplainingly) is our Golden Retriever - and having read your article I have a clearer impression of why.
Suggestion for dog owners: we have found that applying a double dose of his 3 monthly flea repellent to the scruff of his neck a week or so before visiting a ticky area works wonders. The brutes still attach but wither, die and drop off within 24 hours. (tempted to put the stuff on me... I think I would if it was as bad here as you describe in the US!).
Another suggestion: the little plastic 'tick-fork' you can get from Vets & pet shops to remove ticks from your dog works well with people - to remove without crushing or leaving bits stuck in you.
Cheers, Mark
Please don't get the impression that ticks are a serious scourge all over the US. Even in California where these photos were taken, most places are tick-free or nearly so. The Diablo Range (maybe it has that name for a reason?) is generally hot and dry, almost all private property and far less scenic than rest of the state - I just happen to like even the undesirable parts of California. :-)
I would also encourage people to vaccinate themselves agains tick-borne encephalitis. I did not do it unfortunately and got the disease from the first tick in my life. I spent 10 days in hospital having awful headaches and high fever and got remaining complications. And I was even a lucky person, during the hospital stay I heard lots of stories about people with the same disease but far worse outcome. Hence, be aware of the risks and care more about yourself than I did (I had no idea that TBE might be that awful).
More info on TBE:
"TBE is an important infectious disease of in many parts of Europe, the former Soviet Union, and Asia, corresponding to the distribution of the ixodid tick reservoir. The annual number of cases (incidence) varies from year to year, but several thousand are reported annually, despite historical under-reporting of this disease.
A vaccine is available in some disease endemic areas (though not currently in the United States); however, adverse vaccine-reactions in children limit the utility of the product."
"TBE is endemic in temperate regions of Europe and Asia (from eastern France to northern Japan and from northern Russia to Albania) and up to about 4,921 ft (1,500 m) in altitude. Russia has the highest number of reported TBE cases, and western Siberia has the highest incidence of TBE in the world. Other countries where the incidence is high include the Czech Republic, Estonia, Germany, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovenia, Sweden, and Switzerland. High vaccination rates in Austria have reduced the incidence of TBE; however, unvaccinated travelers to this country are still at risk. European countries with no reported cases are Belgium, Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, and the United Kingdom. Asian countries known to be endemic for TBE include China, Japan, Mongolia, and South Korea.
The overall risk of acquiring TBE for an unvaccinated visitor to a highly endemic area during the TBEV transmission season has been estimated at 1 case per 10,000 person-months of exposure."
The version of the vaccine they use in Austria requires three applications spaced some time apart to be fully effective - not much use for casual travelers. When we lived there, no one mentioned the side effects on kids.
While checking conditions on a forest service website, I came across a link to the most thorough resources for tick research and education that I had ever seen in one place before (especially useful in California): http://www.cdph.ca.gov/HEALTHINFO/DISCOND/Pages/TickBorneDiseases.aspx
After showing a western fence lizard (blue belly) to the kids yesterday evening, I was glad to see their role in preventing the spread of lyme disease mentioned in this presentation (slide 28): http://www.cdph.ca.gov/HealthInfo/discond/Documents/TBDPhysicianTutorial.PDF
http://www.cdph.ca.gov/HealthInfo/discond/Documents/TicksInTheWorkplaceFactSheet.pdf : "Tick season-- In California, adult ticks are most common in fall and winter. Small immature, nymphal ticks are common in spring into summer and are the primary vector of Lyme disease to people."
Earlier this week I found three on my legs after one of my usual trail runs in the foothills of the Diablo range, and only one on each dog. Later in the week, I was grateful to find none after another run on the same route.
and that is per my mother-in-law who is very well educated on the subject of tick-born diseases. The Sonoma Valley where we live is a real hot spot for ticks and various agencies have done studied here over the years. My mother-in-law was at the forefront of most of the studies working with UCD, CDHS, CDC and others. So a compliment from her (they're hard to come by) is real kudos!!! her only suggestion was a link to CDHS California for updates that might come forth. Nice work.
I really enjoyed reading this article. Ticks really tick me off, sometimes. I am not a fan of them.
I sometimes get funny looks from people when they see my shirt tucked into my pants and pants tucked into my socks. This article helps show those antics are not so crazy, after all.
lcarreau - Apr 26, 2012 9:58 pm - Voted 10/10
Re: Speaking of repellants.....Back in the day, we also used the "heat from a cigarette" trick ...
at least, we thought it was a cigarette!
Bob Burd - Apr 26, 2012 11:37 am - Hasn't voted
Reply to commentsMechanical removal (i.e. tweezers) is the recommended method for tick removal nowadays.
DEET is not so great as a tick repellent. More information here.
Bill Reed - Apr 27, 2012 8:54 am - Voted 10/10
Re: Reply to commentsGood info Bob, thanks! I'll look for some of that tick repellent before I run the "tick gauntlet" of southern Wyoming.
Sarah Simon - Apr 27, 2012 11:34 am - Voted 10/10
Brad Paisley"I'd like to check you for ticks."
On a serious note - great article and very timely. This this past weekend I found a hitchhiker on a rock climb. Gave me the creeps. These little critters freak me out.
Sarah
boyblue - Apr 28, 2012 7:48 pm - Voted 10/10
Knowledge is power......for the squeamish among us. Lot's of good info here that I wish I had back in the day.
Arthur Digbee - Apr 29, 2012 8:11 am - Voted 10/10
thanksGood, common sense tone to the article.
I remember having pants that looked like yours while eating dinner in the Ozarks, where one species drops from trees. Charming experience.
johnm - Apr 29, 2012 12:41 pm - Hasn't voted
InformativeHarkens memories of my early scouting adventures. One outing I ended up with a tick in the back of my neck just into the hair line. Tweezers were ineffective and the old match solution wasn't viable. One of the leaders applied melted butter and the bugger backed right out.
Also when returning home make sure to inspect your canine companion as well. Especially around the head and chest. We have given up taking our dog on certain hikes because of tick annoyance.
colinr - Apr 30, 2012 12:21 am - Voted 10/10
Re: InformativeSometimes I find few or no ticks on me, but several on my dogs. On my dogs, ticks tend to try to imbed around the ears, chest, arm (leg) pits and groin area. I've recently tried tick collars in addition to Revolution flea prevention that is mildly effective against ticks. I haven't used anything that is totally effective yet.
colinr - Apr 30, 2012 12:47 am - Voted 10/10
Great summaryI frequent areas with ticks and have had a few burrow into me, so researching them is not new to me. I now get a lump and irrtitating itch that lasts for weeks to months if one manages to dig into me even for a short time. The article is a great summary of what I have found. My most frequent encounters with ticks are in the Diablo Range west of Henry Coe State Park. My most severe encounters have been around Junipero Serra Peak near the Ventana Wilderness. I susepct it is due to relatively high moisture levels and lack of severe winters on the Central Coast, but I generally recall finding ticks to be most bothersome January-April. Come to think of it, one latched onto my neck/hairline in the Ishi Wilderness (near Red Bluff) one Decemeber. I guess I'd point out, based on my experiences in non-alpine portions of CA, to be on your guard in winter/the rainy season in addition to the spring/summmer that follows.
MoapaPk - Apr 30, 2012 1:00 pm - Voted 10/10
good info, some commentsIn the east, soft-shell ticks are a problem in some areas; tiny deer ticks in others. Even in parts of Nevada, soft-bodied ticks carry relapsing fever, which is fairly serious.
Once permethrin is dried onto your clothes, it isn't much of a health threat to cats. The big problem was when people would buy spray made for dogs (which one sprays directly on the dog), and spray cats. The toxic effects are much greater for cats than dogs. The concern for aquatic life comes mainly for people who buy large amounts of the pesticide, spray it over lawns, golf courses, restaurants, etc., and then have large quantities drain into Koi ponds and the like.
If you are confident in your handling of the stuff, you can buy bonide 13% permethrin, or even 37% SFR, and dilute it yourself (at least 20 to 50-fold), treating all your outdoor tick-susceptible clothes at once. Agway sells it, and there are only 2 states where you can't buy it without a permit. HOWEVER, the highly concentrated forms of permethrin are cut with Kerosene, and if you opt for the cheapy treatment, your clothes will smell like kerosene till the end of time.
My brother had Lyme disease, but caught it when he recognized the bulls-eye mark, so he didn't need the IV drip. However, I think only about 30% of infected people get the bulls-eye. ;^(
Brian C - May 2, 2012 2:43 pm - Voted 10/10
I HATE TICKS!That's all really. Nice article.
markhallam - May 3, 2012 1:22 am - Hasn't voted
Thanks BobThis is really useful. I have picked up the odd tick in the hills in Scotland or other mountainous areas in the UK. Fortunatley they don't seem to attack en mass like you describe in the US - but even so, your very practical advice is useful and I picked up a few new tips.
Actually the biggest sufferer (albeit uncomplainingly) is our Golden Retriever - and having read your article I have a clearer impression of why.
Suggestion for dog owners: we have found that applying a double dose of his 3 monthly flea repellent to the scruff of his neck a week or so before visiting a ticky area works wonders. The brutes still attach but wither, die and drop off within 24 hours. (tempted to put the stuff on me... I think I would if it was as bad here as you describe in the US!).
Another suggestion: the little plastic 'tick-fork' you can get from Vets & pet shops to remove ticks from your dog works well with people - to remove without crushing or leaving bits stuck in you.
Cheers, Mark
Bob Burd - May 3, 2012 2:34 am - Hasn't voted
Re: Thanks BobPlease don't get the impression that ticks are a serious scourge all over the US. Even in California where these photos were taken, most places are tick-free or nearly so. The Diablo Range (maybe it has that name for a reason?) is generally hot and dry, almost all private property and far less scenic than rest of the state - I just happen to like even the undesirable parts of California. :-)
genfitydruk - May 3, 2012 9:56 am - Hasn't voted
TBEI would also encourage people to vaccinate themselves agains tick-borne encephalitis. I did not do it unfortunately and got the disease from the first tick in my life. I spent 10 days in hospital having awful headaches and high fever and got remaining complications. And I was even a lucky person, during the hospital stay I heard lots of stories about people with the same disease but far worse outcome. Hence, be aware of the risks and care more about yourself than I did (I had no idea that TBE might be that awful).
Bob Burd - May 3, 2012 12:34 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: TBEMore info on TBE:
"TBE is an important infectious disease of in many parts of Europe, the former Soviet Union, and Asia, corresponding to the distribution of the ixodid tick reservoir. The annual number of cases (incidence) varies from year to year, but several thousand are reported annually, despite historical under-reporting of this disease.
A vaccine is available in some disease endemic areas (though not currently in the United States); however, adverse vaccine-reactions in children limit the utility of the product."
- CDC
Note that the vaccine mentioned is not available in the US and not helpful unless traveling to parts of the world where it is a problem.
Also from the CDC:
"TBE is endemic in temperate regions of Europe and Asia (from eastern France to northern Japan and from northern Russia to Albania) and up to about 4,921 ft (1,500 m) in altitude. Russia has the highest number of reported TBE cases, and western Siberia has the highest incidence of TBE in the world. Other countries where the incidence is high include the Czech Republic, Estonia, Germany, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovenia, Sweden, and Switzerland. High vaccination rates in Austria have reduced the incidence of TBE; however, unvaccinated travelers to this country are still at risk. European countries with no reported cases are Belgium, Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, and the United Kingdom. Asian countries known to be endemic for TBE include China, Japan, Mongolia, and South Korea.
The overall risk of acquiring TBE for an unvaccinated visitor to a highly endemic area during the TBEV transmission season has been estimated at 1 case per 10,000 person-months of exposure."
Arthur Digbee - May 10, 2012 5:49 pm - Voted 10/10
Re: TBEThe version of the vaccine they use in Austria requires three applications spaced some time apart to be fully effective - not much use for casual travelers. When we lived there, no one mentioned the side effects on kids.
Ze - May 5, 2012 9:15 pm - Voted 10/10
tick twisterhttp://www.ticktwister.com/
Tick Twister, twist that tick right off!
I've always wanted to get one, but I've never actually found a tick on me (and I have hiked through a lot of brush).
colinr - May 6, 2012 6:58 pm - Voted 10/10
Some SourcesWhile checking conditions on a forest service website, I came across a link to the most thorough resources for tick research and education that I had ever seen in one place before (especially useful in California): http://www.cdph.ca.gov/HEALTHINFO/DISCOND/Pages/TickBorneDiseases.aspx
After showing a western fence lizard (blue belly) to the kids yesterday evening, I was glad to see their role in preventing the spread of lyme disease mentioned in this presentation (slide 28): http://www.cdph.ca.gov/HealthInfo/discond/Documents/TBDPhysicianTutorial.PDF
http://www.cdph.ca.gov/HealthInfo/discond/Documents/TicksInTheWorkplaceFactSheet.pdf : "Tick season-- In California, adult ticks are most common in fall and winter. Small immature, nymphal ticks are common in spring into summer and are the primary vector of Lyme disease to people."
Earlier this week I found three on my legs after one of my usual trail runs in the foothills of the Diablo range, and only one on each dog. Later in the week, I was grateful to find none after another run on the same route.
Marmaduke - May 22, 2012 2:35 pm - Voted 10/10
Very well done Bob.....and that is per my mother-in-law who is very well educated on the subject of tick-born diseases. The Sonoma Valley where we live is a real hot spot for ticks and various agencies have done studied here over the years. My mother-in-law was at the forefront of most of the studies working with UCD, CDHS, CDC and others. So a compliment from her (they're hard to come by) is real kudos!!! her only suggestion was a link to CDHS California for updates that might come forth. Nice work.
Redwic - Jun 3, 2012 3:06 am - Voted 10/10
Thank you for this article!I really enjoyed reading this article. Ticks really tick me off, sometimes. I am not a fan of them.
I sometimes get funny looks from people when they see my shirt tucked into my pants and pants tucked into my socks. This article helps show those antics are not so crazy, after all.