Tick Seasons
When does "tick season" start on the AT in the Damascus area?
Fear ridges that are depicted as flat lines on a profile map.
I'm not that sure about that area, but here in North GA. I have saw them already!
Dtour
We were in the Tuscarora Forest Friday and Saturday. My husband, and the friend we were hiking with, both found ticks on themselves. When I unpacked my pack at home yesterday there was a tick taking a ride on my water bladder. Made me wonder how many more might be in the rest of my gear. But I have to assume that without a host they'll die fast. Right????
"All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us."
March through November.
up over the hills, theres nothing to fear
theres a pub across the way with whisky and beer
its a lengthy journey on the way up to the top
but it ain't so bad if you have a great big bottle o'scotch
Nope. They can live for something like a year without a host. Put your stuff in the freezer to kill em off.Originally Posted by Mrs Baggins
up over the hills, theres nothing to fear
theres a pub across the way with whisky and beer
its a lengthy journey on the way up to the top
but it ain't so bad if you have a great big bottle o'scotch
I know what our "season" is here in Illinois, but we don't have deer ticks here (to any extent) and wasn't sure if the deer tick had a different pattern.
I'm doing a 5-day trip into Trail Days and will DEF be treating my clothing with permethrin. Sounds like I better bring some spray too for my equipment as an additional deterrent.
Fear ridges that are depicted as flat lines on a profile map.
Deer ticks can be active most of the year in forest floor litter (from a report from Connecticut). Probably if it's sitting on a blade of grass at much below freezing it's not active. They're going to be much more of a problem when it gets warmer. A friend picked up a bunch doing yard work in the suburbs of Boston in early March
I know the map for Lyme doesn't start til upper VA but I also get the idea that the range is expanding.
Fear ridges that are depicted as flat lines on a profile map.
I'm from Kentucky and I know numerous of people who have contracted Lyme locally. That map is a bit of a farce.
*whoops, meant 'numbers of'.
Awww. Crap. I don't have a freezer with the room for ALL of our gear that could have ticks hanging out. Any sprays that might work??
"All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us."
IMO, ticks can be active all year long. There is a great link from Maine about ticks this past winter on another thread. Give um a little warmth and they will be active especially if sun is out! A couple of years ago on a day hike in W. MA at 2100 ft. in Feb. we found 5 ticks on us because it was a bright sunny day with temps just below freezing.
What Season ? it's year round except when snow is on the ground. Is this the Humor Forum? Nuts.
Dogs are excellent judges of character, this fact goes a long way toward explaining why some people don't like being around them.
Woo
It wasn't worthy of the "Humor Forum" until you posted.What Season ? it's year round except when snow is on the ground. Is this the Humor Forum? Nuts.
From Rhode Island (this site shows activity per month): http://www.health.ri.gov/disease/com...ivitymonth.php
Sorry to let real info get in your way..........Tick activity increases greatly in the spring (starting in April or May) when eggs first hatch. Ticks are most active and often feed in late June or early July, and slowly become less active during the autumn months. Ticks are least active and least likely to feed during January and February.
This means that, starting in the spring, you need to take precautions against tick bites, and should continue these precautions through the fall. However, while you are unlikely to receive a tick bite during the winter, you should not rule out tick-borne disease if you notice any symptoms of early Lyme or symptoms of any other tick-borne diseases and should still consult your physician about the possibility of these diseases. Also, if you are planning on treating your property with pesticides, it is often suggested that you do so in May in order to kill off newly hatched larvae.
Fear ridges that are depicted as flat lines on a profile map.
Sprays with permethrin can be used on clothing. It is recommended that you spray outside on a calm day, don't breathe the vapors, and let the clothing (pack, tent, etc) dry for at least two hours before allowing them to contact your skin. Supposedly permethrin is supposed to be harmless to humans but will kill ticks if they crawl across it. I use it because I've had Lyme disease at least once, probably three times.Awww. Crap. I don't have a freezer with the room for ALL of our gear that could have ticks hanging out. Any sprays that might work??
As I live, declares the Lord God, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn back from his way and live. Ezekiel 33:11
Even after going thru the hysteria induced tick bite I got in November in NY, I would not let the idea of ticks alter the enjoyment of your trip. I guess there's nothing wrong with being cautious, but I certainly wouldn't spray my clothing with chemicals for a trip to the Damascus area. I know they are supposedly down south now but I think doing a daily check will more than suffice.
Now, Connecticut section in June might be a different story...
Anything's within walking distance if you've got the time.
GA-ME 03, LT 04/06, PCT 07'
I hear ya. The Damascus area doesn't appear to be a hot-bed for Lyme. I personally don't have any fear of permethrin if it is handled properly and I use the soaking method for clothing. It does a REAL good job of keeping mosquitoes and flies from biting my shoulders too.
We have West Nile in our area which IMO is much less of a risk to a healthy individual, like myself, than Lyme.
Non-backpackers always ask me if I'm scared of bears and I say no......ticks.
Fear ridges that are depicted as flat lines on a profile map.
Scientist need to come up with some way to eradicate ticks once and for all.
Panzer
I don't personally believe there is a tick season, or perhaps a better way of stating it is when are ticks not out?
Generally speaking, from about March to November, you can expect to find ticks along much of the Appalachian Trail. The hotspots are CT of course (where it was discovered in 1975) NY, and MA, but it's probably possible to contract Lyme anywhere nowdays. I've heard it's real bad in certain areas of PA for example, same with W. VA.
Without question, the best overall prevention is Permethrin on your clothing, and Deet Repellant on your skin (though not 100%, you don't need more than about 30%) and clothing.
It's a known fact that about 95% of those who contract Lyme never saw the tick that bit them...so daily checks are not going to get the job done. Plus, you cannot check your crotch and head...both tick hotspots.
Remember, clothing can prevent alot of bites, and treating your clothing means the tick won't have the time to walk up your leg and bite you in the ass.
Picaridin ( http://www.picaridin.com ) is/has been used in Europe for a very long period as an alternative to DEET and has been available for sale in the U.S. since 2005, when it was approved for use as an insect repellant by the EPA. ( http://www.epa.gov/opprd001/factsheets/picaridin.pdf ) .
Testing indicates that at 20% strength (which is the % most picaridin-based products contain) it is equally effective as 100% DEET (http://www.medletter.com/freedocs/picaridin.pdf ) .
Unlike DEET, picaridin has essentially no smell and does no damage to plastics and clothing if inadvertently applied to them (http://www.picaridin.info )
In 2000 the World Health Organization proclaimed that, due to its safety, effectiveness and cosmetic properties, Picaridin was their recommended product for repelling the mosquitos that carry Malaria. They noted that under some circumstances it was more effective than DEET. (Id.)
Picaridin has proven effective in laboratory and field tests against a variety of mosquitos, ticks and flies and other biting insects (Id).
(A side note: Picaridin is derived from the group of plants used to make black pepper. http://npic.orst.edu/factsheets/PicaridinGen.pdf )
Among the various vendors (including Sawyer), Natrapel makes 8 hr. "wipes" (sold in boxes of 12) that are touted for mosquitos but are also effective on ticks.
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