Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
For those that don't want to use "Deep Woods OFF!!
Sulphur powder works to some degree. A lot of trail riders (horses not dirt bikes) will fill the bottom of a thin sock with sulphur powder and whap it against the horses legs to help deter ticks while riding.
When we get them home a strong solution of beta dine water or beta dine shampoo will make the ticks literally stand straight in the air if they have already attached themselves, making them easy to remove. Works on people too
I have sprayed my horses with a mix of patchouli oil, mineral oil, and water. 1/4
Cup of each oil, fill the balance of a 32 oz spray bottle with water.
We have myriads upon myriads of Lone Star ticks. Being from the north, originally, I was not used to seeing ticks on my horses, just the dogs. I almost threw up that first tick season but after 12 years of pulling the little soandso's off my horses, I'm used to it and take them with a grain of annoying salt
If all'ya'all are really curious, I would be ecstatic to share where on my horses I have found ticks, with the help of a flashlight
If you're in the right spot, ticks will get to you no matter how many times you lint-roll. The only thing that really works, (and not 100%) is to basically soak your clothing in permethrin and leave as few openings to the skin as possible. That's not really feasable for someone in 90+ degree weather to wear long pants tucked into socks, long sleeves and a hat.
It's not just lyme disease that you need to worry about either. Lone Star ticks are very abundant in my area right now, and they are super aggressive...they eat deep woods off for breakfast. Lone Star ticks carry Monocytic Ehrlichiosis, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and 'Stari'. They are becoming resistant to the K9 Advantix II that I use on my dog. I have to supplement her with a permethrin spray on her feet and legs almost every time we step outside.
They work by treating the disease hosts of the ticks (mostly mice). The mice will use the cotton in nests, and as a result they get treated with permethrin, which is environmentally friendly and very safe for pets, birds, people and other mammals.
NK, this thread is freaking me out ... you know I just started a new garden ... I've never been an outdoor person (would much rather stay inside and read!) so have not had to worry about this. Now I do.
No one to check me over either. I guess I'd better get good at examining myself!
If you live near the woods, you should be aware...especially in New Hampshire! I'm surprised you don't have any knowledge of living with ticks. But if you have a manicured lawn in the suburbs with low amounts of deciduous trees, you probably don't have much to worry about. Ticks live primarily in overgrown, leafy, wooded areas, or overgrown fields/prairie-type areas. They will not live in your garden. Also, just because you have deer does not mean you will have more ticks. It's the mice that carry them around and drop them off during the various feeding/life cycles. Ticks on deer usually stay on a deer.
There are endless videos and articles about flea and tick preventative. I'm so worried about doing something which will kill or injure song birds and upset the eco system. For the life of me I can't think of one redeeming value of either fleas or ticks so would we really miss them if they are eradicated?
Permethrin is also safe for birds, in fact it is sold as a miticide for caged birds. The only problem I have read with Permethrin is that it can harm some beneficial insects, such as bees, but bees are generally doing their thing in the garden, not in the leaf-litter in the woods, so I would not be too concerned.
I strongly agree with NJFillet about using Damminix tick tubes for controlling deer ticks through the mouse vector. I have a wooded lake lot and have used the tick tubes the last two years; it has greatly cut down on the presence of deer ticks even though there is a deer trail that goes completely around the perimeter of the lot. They're not cheap, but the protection is well worth it. I also go for Deep Woods Off, as well as the pants legs in the socks tactic when I'm over at the lot. I wish I could have guinea hens there, but it's located in an HOA community.
Location: Stuck on the East Coast, hoping to head West
4,640 posts, read 11,932,465 times
Reputation: 9885
I use rose geranium essential oil on me and my dog and it seems to be working. I'm not overly fond of the smell, but, hey it's working. I also slice a lemon in half and rub the halves on my dog's fur (not his skin) and I don't squeeze the juice on him, basically getting the lemon oil on his fur. Of course, I take care near his eyes & muzzle. These seem to be working. I still check us both every day. I haven't found one since I started doing this.
Just for comparison, my husband and I were both out hiking. I was wearing the oil and he wasn't. He had ticks and I didn't. Could've just been coincidence, but I'll take it.
As for removing ticks, I have a tick remover tool that I got at the pet store. It's a plastic little thing that cost around 5 bucks. I have used it and it's very easy. It grasps the tick in a way that both the body and head are removed.
Alternatively, you can also put rose geranium essential oil directly on the tick with a qtip and then cover it with tape and that will kill it, too.
I have many friends who have such problems they cannot eat red meat anymore. Although one found a doctor who got him back to eating red meat somehow.
My problems are various ticks and chiggers. Have had tick bites that progressed to red circles so had medication for Lyme just in case. A friend is going through treatment for Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.
Someone mentioned drinking lemongrass tea against ticks and mosquitoes at least. I thought why not try it since nothing else was really great. All I can say is so far not as bad as in previous years. I still do the usual little bug spray on my head, neck, arms, slacks. Tuck in the tshirt and wear a shirt over it. I have come to relax from my usual wild outfit of mismatched head scarf and long sleeved shirt. I also laxed on soaking my slacks in bug spray before yard work. It had gotten so bad I didn't mind soaking them since it was the only thing that helped and the yard work had to be done. I also pull socks up over slacks and try to leave no opening.
Chiggers....still some getting me but very very few.
My feeling is that you are better off avoiding areas that are tick infested. You can also try to stay away from high weeds and rubbing against branches and limbs.
Fairly impossible in my area. Deer and their ticks are absolutely everywhere.
I only got one tick bite in my life - year ago May - and got Lyme.
No weeds, nor contact with branches or limbs... just gardening in my backyard.
Quote:
Originally Posted by NJFillet
But if you have a manicured lawn in the suburbs with low amounts of deciduous trees, you probably don't have much to worry about. Ticks live primarily in overgrown, leafy, wooded areas, or overgrown fields/prairie-type areas. They will not live in your garden.
If you live near the woods, you should be aware...especially in New Hampshire! I'm surprised you don't have any knowledge of living with ticks. But if you have a manicured lawn in the suburbs with low amounts of deciduous trees, you probably don't have much to worry about. Ticks live primarily in overgrown, leafy, wooded areas, or overgrown fields/prairie-type areas. They will not live in your garden. Also, just because you have deer does not mean you will have more ticks. It's the mice that carry them around and drop them off during the various feeding/life cycles. Ticks on deer usually stay on a deer.
Well, I knew they were around of course, but I have NEVER been a lover of the outdoors -- even when I was a kid, I would always stay in my room reading while my siblings played outside. So I've never really had to worry about ticks.
This year I started a garden in my front lawn, so I've been out there quite a bit. I tuck my pants in my socks and am constantly on the lookout for ticks, and I've seen some, but so far I haven't found any on me (alas, I have to check myself with mirrors, so I could have missed some -- would I feel their bite??!! ). I also have put insect repellent on my lawn with a spreader ... it's supposed to control ticks.
I don't know what else I can do if I want to have a garden?
Fairly impossible in my area. Deer and their ticks are absolutely everywhere.
I only got one tick bite in my life - year ago May - and got Lyme.
No weeds, nor contact with branches or limbs... just gardening in my backyard.
I wish!
Yeah. I picked up both of my embedded ticks and chiggers in my yard.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
