Question for Steve

[tam from Tam’s Vintage & More]

Totally not on any topic but I watch the what sold videos and a lot of the time Steve and dogs are out and about in nature. What do you use as tick protection? I recently became a butterfly monitor for Illinois and the ticks are making me want to never leave my house again. Any tips or tricks or products you use and have had success with? Thanks!
Tam

[Steven S]

With all the rain this spring and summer the ticks have been especially bad around here.
The dogs get Bravecto so if a tick bites them it dies, works really well, wish humans could take it.
I make sure to shower immediately after getting home from a hike as I’ve found them crawling on me if I wait.
A hat, long pants and long sleeves are what I usually wear, it helps with mosquitoes too which are quite abundant this year.
I also made up a spray bottle with a 50/50 mix of white vinegar and water with some citrus oil added and try and remember to spritz myself with it before heading into the woods.

[T-Satt]

Does your spritz help with just ticks? or other bugs as well?

We are lucky with very few ticks around here (I only worry during deer and elk hunting season when dealing with the hides).

[Steven S]

Apparently the citrus oil along with vinegar repels most insects. In practice it’s on par with most commercial sprays, smells better though.

[tam from Tam’s Vintage & More]

I will give your spritz a try! I wear long sleeves and pants and a hat. I spray my clothes with Ben’s Permethrin clothing and gear protector but I have had them on me every time I have gone out so far. Not proud of how hard I freaked out in the shower over the weekend when one fell out of my hair and onto my arm :/

[Steven S]

I’ve come back from a morning hike, and after sitting down with a cup a coffee I’ve felt one crawling on my neck a few times. Only once this year did I discover one that had latched on, tweezers and some alcohol no big deal.

[Retro Treasures WV]

Ticks and Mosquitos are HORRIBLE this year!
We’ve completely surrounded our pool deck with mosquito repelling plants and use citronella/cedar oil torches and we’re still eaten up.

[Habnab]

I’m in Lyme Disease central — geranium oil has been found to be a pretty effective deterrent. I think if you Google around you can find out what types/mixtures work best.

[Amatino]

Get a couple of those flea and tick dog collars and strap them on your ankles over your pants. You can even wear a 2nd set just below your knees, like garters, if you’re walking in long grass. Works well to stop them climbing up your pants legs. Multi-use, so they’re cheap too.

[Jay]

Good news is that Lyme disease only transfers of the tick is on actually attached and sucking blood for 36+ hours.

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/lyme-disease/symptoms-causes/syc-20374651

Only a minority of blacklegged tick bites leads to Lyme disease. The longer the tick remains attached to your skin, the greater your risk of getting the disease. Lyme infection is unlikely if the tick is attached for less than 36 to 48 hours.

So prevention is good. But the real key is to clean up and check for ticks after a day of being in the woods. Easy to do in the shower.

[Author]

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