View Full Version : tick infestation in Pa?
Just did a short weekend hike on the AT near Harrisburg, Pa. Been hiking this area for more than 30 years but have never encountered the number of ticks I saw this weekend. A friend, who brought his dog along, found more than 60 ticks on his golden. All of us found ticks on our bodies either during, or immediately after the trip. These were mostly brown ticks, but a few blacklegged (deer ticks) as well.
I'm a reporter with The Patriot-News (Harrisburg, Pa) and plan to write a story about whether ticks are out of control around here. I'd be interested in what other hikers have experienced in Pa in recent months. Anybody have a similar experience? Feel free to email me at the address below.
Garry Lenton
glenton@patriot-news.com
Exactly where were you hiking? I hike Peter's Mt. frequently, am a friggin' tick magnet and have never had more than one on me after any of my trips. Would be very interested in knowing which route you took.
Happy Hiking.
Blissful
11-10-2008, 14:23
SNP is getting that way too.
Toolshed
11-10-2008, 14:40
We are about 18 miles from the trail in Lehigh Valley and just had one of our dogs diagnosed with Lyme. Our neighbors young daughter was also recently diagnosed with Lyme.
There didn't seem to be many ticks in the early 2000's but in the last couple of years I have been pulling about a dozen ticks off the dogs annually and have also pulled a couple off my son this year as well as last year.
Lousy blood suckers, we need a lyme disease vaccine that works
In recent years people thought that Lymes was worst in CT and MA.
This past summer lots of hikers claim to have contracted Lymes as far south as Shenandoah NP.
Most hikers found medical professionals who knew what to look for (Lyme's) and how to prescribe the proper meds. That was not the case just a few years ago.
aaroniguana
11-10-2008, 16:08
I pulled three in the Gettysburg area three weeks ago.
We were camped just above the William Penn Shelter west of Rt. 645. We plucked 9 ticks of the dog in the first 20 minutes walking over from Rt. 501. I also picked three off myself in the first hour of walking. Never saw anything like it. The spring at Wm Penn was barely a trickle, btw.
Thanks for the info. Heading out on the Horseshoe Trail in your area in the coming weeks so I will be on the lookout.
Thanks for the info on water, as well. Updates from the trail are always appreciated.
thanks for the head's up. you'd think that the frost 2 weeks ago would've driven them away for the season
Ticks, I've learned, are a year-round presence, though in winter you have to work harder to get them. It seems they sleep lightly under the fallen leaves and other bracken, but if you kick them up - say looking for wood or clearing a tent site - they may hop on.
Pennsylvania ticks are smart. We hike, they go for a ride.
pulled one off our dog just tonight. poor little doggie
Wise Old Owl
11-13-2008, 23:54
Gary everyone is going to having an opinion on this one, your freind is possibly in error of not using Frontline. Ticks take a while to drop off a dog after biting & getting poison from Frontline. Yes it's your fault for not spraying up Deep Woods Off on you legs.
Ticks are not running rampant on the trail - I suspect you ran into what locals call a ball, a egg case with hundreds or several cases of thousands hatched and you walked by.
I'm not trying to be rude - I just think if you are on the trail nowadays with Lyme & West Nile - should we not know better? The average news hour has informed the public for about five years or more?
You know I wrote this and now I want to take it back ....nope.