Ticks and more ticks

9 years ago

Hi Kids,

Time to get out and and start working in the yard and garden but wait...TICKS are everywhere! Holy Crap...we seem to have a bumper crop of the little suckers. I know its not easy to avoid them and I am always interested in finding ways of dealing with them. Last week I heard an interesting conversation on our local NPR station that I will share with you. I know we all hear a lot about ticks but we can never have enough info on the topic. Here is a link.

http://capeandislands.org/post/what-you-need-know-about-ticks

Enjoy your time in the sun, fresh air and all things green and growing. Stay safe out there

Sooey

Featured Answer

spedigrees z4VT

9 years ago

Those who raise chickens say the same thing, that they are exceptional soldiers in the battle against ticks.

I have found only a couple ticks on the dogs, and none on us, over the past two years. I have no idea on earth why that would be, since we have pine woods that we all walk in daily, and deer travel over the property on a regular basis. We should be swamped with the nasty little buggers and yet the population in our immediate location seems to be on the decline. I'm not complaining though!

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Comments (8)

mcsooey
Original Author
9 years ago
And while I am on the subject, here is a great video on the safe removal of a tick. I have always heard that you should pull it off with tweezers being careful to grab the tick as close to it's mouth as you can. That's fine but now that I know about this method, this is what I always try first. To my surprise, it has worked every time. I have always used water on the cotton swab and follow up with a dab of rubbing alcohol after the tick falls off. Good luck but I hope you ever need to use it!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZAsUL0bp_y0

Sooey
deanna in ME Barely zone 6a, more like 5b
9 years ago
Love that video. One child has had Lyme already. The more info the better. I'll make sure all the kids see the video!
mcsooey thanked deanna in ME Barely zone 6a, more like 5b
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PRO
Paradise Alcove LLC
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Thanks for the reminder and the link Sooey!
mcsooey thanked Paradise Alcove LLC
claireplymouth z6b coastal MA
9 years ago
Sooey: Good information and a reminder to always apply repellents when I go outside, as well as keeping the gardening hats sprayed with permethrin. Works for mosquitoes too.

One of my main tick disposal mechanisms, though, is wild turkeys! The turkeys roam through the yard gobbling up birdseed, and picking ticks off plants for dessert. I've googled and get conflicting accounts - some saying turkeys will eat 200 ticks per day, but others saying that it's not a significant effect on the tick population.

One reference: Do turkeys eat ticks or carry ticks?

All I know is I haven't seen a tick here in years and I do have a lot of birds here including turkeys. I also use a lot of bug spray, so something is working.

Claire
mcsooey thanked claireplymouth z6b coastal MA
mcsooey
Original Author
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Wow, Claire and spedigress, I envy you both. Claire, we have Turkeys but not in the number you seem to have. I know that they are great with ticks and the like, but they don't seem to stay around here long enough to put a dent in the tick population. And spedigress, how lucky you are! I would not think of walking in the woods without jumping into the outdoor shower upon return. Even that does not always work. This year seems to be the worst year in a very long time here on the Cape. In the past, I have seem them crawling on my shoes or shirt sleeve but only one other time have I found a tick that I needed to remove once it was attached to me. I will get a can of pyrethrum on my next trip to Agway. I will also tuck my shirt into my pants and my pant legs into my socks and wear a hat. Now that, will be a look to envy!

Have fun out there!

Sooey
PRO
Paradise Alcove LLC
9 years ago
LOL "a look to envy"...

Indeed, I have done the same. I just tell myself "It's not a fashion show..." ;)
mcsooey
Original Author
9 years ago
That and, the neighbors all have such bad eyesight... All of them,,,