Ticks

[nativewolf]

Sorry to hear about the dog,  Serasto tick collars have been a wonder for us but some small dog owners have had issues so read up on them.  For large dogs, unbelievable tick and flea control.  Our site is just infested with ticks, he's a few get so far as to get through his fur but no bites.  He's got thick fur (Komandor) so they have to work just to get to the skin.  

Anyway, small dog owners be careful- read up on them.  Big dogs- best purchase ever for our dogs.

[Ron Scott]

Using fire management to see how ticks... tick
PHYS.ORG | JULY 26, 2024
 
 Research from State University of New York's College of Environmental Science and Forestry is probing the relationship between ticks and wildland fires. By collecting ticks from different burn locations at different intervals after wild or prescribed fires, Ph.D. student, Samuel Gilvarg, and interns have been assessing the impact of wildland fire on the tick populations.
 
 Fire directly kills ticks and has the potential to disrupt their reproduction cycles. It's possible that the influx of ticks seen over the past decade could be due to long-term fire suppression and climate change on a larger scale as many forests in the Northeast are becoming shadier and wetter: shade and moisture are exactly what ticks like. READ MORE

The E-Forester

[WhitePineJunky]

Using fire management to see how ticks... tick
PHYS.ORG | JULY 26, 2024
 
 Research from State University of New York's College of Environmental Science and Forestry is probing the relationship between ticks and wildland fires. By collecting ticks from different burn locations at different intervals after wild or prescribed fires, Ph.D. student, Samuel Gilvarg, and interns have been assessing the impact of wildland fire on the tick populations.
 
 Fire directly kills ticks and has the potential to disrupt their reproduction cycles. It's possible that the influx of ticks seen over the past decade could be due to long-term fire suppression and climate change on a larger scale as many forests in the Northeast are becoming shadier and wetter: shade and moisture are exactly what ticks like. READ MORE

The E-Forester

I'm at ground zero for that and can confirm fires are probably the best for battling ticks and their diseases 

My land burned over but I can now roll around in grass and not get a tick on me
I'd get 10-20 a day before 

[John Mc]

If you go to your local farm store look at horse spray, it is premethrin and is a fraction of the cost.

During tick season, I keep a pump-up sprayer with this stuff for a daily dose of my pants and boots. For what I use, it's 1.5 oz concentrate per gallon of water. This is the most economical way to use permethrin for tick control on clothing or surfaces.

I saturate a BDU jacket for any heavy bushwhacking, especially when the seed ticks hatch. I also keep a 1/2 gallon pump sprayer in my truck in case I forget at the shop or if I run into a fire ant situation. Permethrin is my friend and a foe to every insect.

I've been dealing with late stage Lyme disease since 1997 from a bite by a Lone Star tick. Don't believe the goverment propoganda that claims only deer ticks can transmit LD. I've had numerous re-infections over the past 27 years. Permethrin is the best defence that I have found yet. Like a divorce, I don't wish LD on anyone. It can be a really bad ride.

I hope you are letting your clothing completely dry before putting it on.

[John Mc]

Earlier in this thread I mentioned clothing sold by Insect Shield. It's factory-treated with permethrin in a way that bonds it to the clothing so that it lasts through around 70 washes (at that point, my "working in the woods" clothing is just about worn out anyway. I've been using it for more than 10 years with very good results. I highly recommend their stuff.

They are now running an end-of Summer sale with 25% off almost everything.They are almost always running sales, but this is one of the better deals they offer, other than clearance/discontinued items.
https://www.insectshield.com/

The only thing I've had issues with are their socks. I tried a couple of pairs each of 2 different styles. All four pairs had holes in them by the 3rd wash. Instead, I buy Farm To Feet "No Fly Zone socks. Note that ONLY socks described as "No Fly Zone" have the permethrin treatment. I have multiple pairs of them, and they are holding up well.
https://www.farmtofeet.com/search?q=no+fly+zone

[Hogdaddy]

So what happens when clothes treated with these chemicals get wet? Like we've all been soaked with sweat in the summer working in the woods. And don't get me wrong, I use chemicals also, but not as much as you guys.  I guess I'm looking for a magic bullet that's really not out there. 

[John Mc]

So what happens when clothes treated with these chemicals get wet? Like we've all been soaked with sweat in the summer working in the woods. And don't get me wrong, I use chemicals also, but not as much as you guys.  I guess I'm looking for a magic bullet that's really not out there.

Nothing. they continue to work just as they always did.

From the EPA web page on repellent treated clothing:

"Our 2009 revised exposure and risk assessment evaluated multiple exposure scenarios for permethrin factory-treated clothing, including toddlers wearing or mouthing the clothing, and military personnel who wear permethrin-treated uniforms on a daily basis. All exposure scenarios showed that permethrin factory-treated clothing is unlikely to pose any significant immediate or long-term hazard to people wearing the clothing.

The amount of permethrin allowed in clothing is very low, and scientific studies indicate that human exposure resulting from wearing permethrin factory-treated clothing also is low. Available data show that permethrin is poorly absorbed through the skin."