Watch out - - the ticks are out there

[bogtrotter]

A deer tick bit me on the back of my upper arm over the weekend.

(I'm not certain, but suspect it was while I was fishing the Saw Mill in Montague on Saturday).

My wife just noticed (and, thankfully, removed) it this morning, and I'll be getting a doze of doxycycline.

So, be on the lookout - - man those things are nasty - - since ticks now carry not just Lyme disease but about a half dozen other unpleasant illnesses.

[fishinator]

Try treating your clothes with permethrin. When used properly it absolutely works.

[westernmas]

Yeah I made some tick tubes for my yard that seem to have helped.  You can buy them premade or soak some cotton balls in permethrin, let em dry and then stick them in a toilet paper tube.  Put the tubes throughout the edge of your yard and the rodents will use them for nests which is also where ticks like to live.  This along with treating my clothes has made yard work a slightly more pleasurable chore.

[bogtrotter]

I really cannot complain too badly, given how much time I spend bushwhacking to get to and from the streams I fish.

I think this is only the second time I've been bitten by a tick - - compared to my poor wife who's been bitten multiple times working in our garden.

My wife has made the investment in some permethrin-treated clothes she specifically wears for gardening.

I've been resistant to do so till now - - relying mainly on my chest waders/hip boots (and the fact I spend most of my outdoor time walking down the middle of streams) to protect me - - but I may well have to follow her example.

[Baitbucket]

My wife has made the investment in some permethrin-treated clothes she specifically wears for gardening.

Permethrin treated clothes are kind of a scam as washing it reduces its effectiveness. You can buy the concentrate and make your own. Its about 2oz of permethrin to 1gal of water. Treat your outer wear, and only wash when absolutely necessary.

I have a treated hat, pants, shirt, chest pack, and boots that i dont wash unless i have to.

Yeah I made some tick tubes for my yard that seem to have helped.  You can buy them premade or soak some cotton balls in permethrin, let em dry and then stick them in a toilet paper tube.  Put the tubes throughout the edge of your yard and the rodents will use them for nests which is also where ticks like to live.  This along with treating my clothes has made yard work a slightly more pleasurable chore.

Ive been doing the same for 4 years now. It definitely helps.

[scooper47]

Just a note that permethrin is fatal to cats. If they eat a mouse that has been wallowing in it in their nest, they will die.

[Steve H.]

Just a note that permethrin is fatal to cats.

Very true.  If you immerse your outdoor clothes in permetherin, do it somewhere your cats cant get to.  And keep them stored in a safe place.

[seamonkey84]

Very true.  If you immerse your outdoor clothes in permetherin, do it somewhere your cats cant get to.  And keep them stored in a safe place.

I spray mine on a large piece of cardboard or trash bag. Then the cloths go into a tote or bag once they are dry. They are good for a few washes. Just don’t treat your waders, as it’s also highly toxic to fish.

[Baitbucket]

Just a note that permethrin is fatal to cats. If they eat a mouse that has been wallowing in it in their nest, they will die.

I put out tick tubes, spray my entire 2acre parameter, the gardens, around the house/porch/pool, around every tree and bush in the yard, and every square inch of the lawn, for the last 5 years, and I have a cat thats doing just fine lol. Not saying you are wrong, but i dont think you need to worry to much about it.