bdk
Loc: Sanibel Fl.
Ive shot in 20+ states, the Jersey pines have more ticks than anyplace I have ever been.( and Chiggers) I spray my clothes, tape my ankles then spray my arms, and I still manage to collect them. When I get home everything goes right into the washer. When Im out I stay on main paths when I can.
All the above- plus. Coveralls help prevent ticks entering at the waist. Wear gaiters to protect ankles and legs, don't forget they can fall from trees, so wear brimmed hats. I remove all clothing before entering vehicle and place in plastic bag, then when home it goes into the dryer for a short heat cycle- kills any insect.
murphle wrote:
So I see a lot of bird photography and wildlife, nature in general. How do photogs deal with ticks? In Wisconsin, Lyme disease is on the rise and the ticks are plentiful. It's disgusting.
Luckily here in CA we don't have as much trouble with ticks. But if my Boy Scout days serve my memory right, you wear long sleeve shirts, pants with fastened tight around your ankles and boots. When you get home check your skin for ticks. It might also help if you use some kind of replant.
WNYShooter wrote:
Deep Woods Off!!!
Deep Woods Off is 25% DEET! DEET is listed as the only "ACTIVE" ingrdient.
Tests on various insect repellents have pretty much confirmed the efficacy of DEET. Twenty-five years ago there were concerns about using DEET products on young children, but I believe these have been largely determined to be unfounded. Insect repellents containing other ingredients are available, but I don't believe they have been found to provide anywhere near the protection. There are other brands of repellent with similar concentrations of DEET that are as effective.
jeep_daddy wrote:
Luckily here in CA we don't have as much trouble with ticks. But if my Boy Scout days serve my memory right, you wear long sleeve shirts, pants with fastened tight around your ankles and boots. When you get home check your skin for ticks. It might also help if you use some kind of replant.
Maybe where you are at in CA. I frequent a place in Santa Clara County that has lots of water birds. And every time I go, I encounter ticks.
jeep_daddy wrote:
Luckily here in CA we don't have as much trouble with ticks. But if my Boy Scout days serve my memory right, you wear long sleeve shirts, pants with fastened tight around your ankles and boots. When you get home check your skin for ticks. It might also help if you use some kind of replant.
There are plenty of ticks in Southern California. I had to get treatment for Lyme Disease in 2013.
One of the symptoms is pain in the joints. Like arthritis.
I have read that permethrin is very dangerous to cats. Thoughts? Keep clothes outside?
murphle wrote:
So I see a lot of bird photography and wildlife, nature in general. How do photogs deal with ticks? In Wisconsin, Lyme disease is on the rise and the ticks are plentiful. It's disgusting.
You can also wear boots and gators which cover all exposed skin near ground level.
murphle wrote:
I have read that permethrin is very dangerous to cats. Thoughts? Keep clothes outside?
Interesting! As a cat owner, I will take this into consideration!
I can't find my can of the stuff, but I believe I read it on the back and was afraid to use it.
Wenonah wrote:
Internet says true.
Figures.... but if clothes are kept outside I wonder.
Proper procedure, from those used in medical field and Haz Mat modified for going where ticks are found in numbers and you want good protection:
1. No lotions, skin creams, cologne, scented soap or shampoo etc, it attracts insects, there are others besides ticks out there. Long pants, long sleeve shirt or coverall & spray material with good grade of repellent. (they should be your size after prewashing in hot water to take care of shrinkage)
2. Tuck pants into boots (also sprayed), fasten cuffs and collar, add gloves sprayed with repellent if cold or you can use disposable surgical gloves which will allow better working of camera.
3. Wear wide brimmed hat (buy one of those surplus GI floppies and spray with repellent) a GI mosquito net can be added and tucked in the shirt collar.
When done:
Have a change of clothes and a plastic bag big enough for the sprayed clothes.
4. Change clothes and put in a plastic trash bag and seal
5. When arriving home change clothes again in laundry area and put all clothes in washer and wash in hot water with sanitizing soap and chlorine bleach. Dispose of trash bag, resealed in case any ticks are inside it now. You can spray it with insecticide before putting in trash.
6. Take shower with water as hot as you can stand and strong soap and shampoo (sold or homemade, recipes on the net)
7. Put on clean clothes and toss towels etc in wash with clothes for a second go round
8. Put wash in dryer at high for a short time, then back off heat and dry
9. Clean and/or spray the laundry area and shower/bath room.
Long, complicated and a pain in the a** but if you really worry about lyme etc this is the procedure, otherwise remember to get checked for lyme regularly.
And this isn't the full procedure. That would include a rinse off with mild bleach solution of you and the outdoor clothes while doing the first clothing change or in ideal circumstances going straight into a shower as part of step 4.
If you don't think you could ever do all this, or don't want/need it. Well, just remember those regular checks for lyme, and that includes you, those who live with you and your pets that might get ticks from you when you return.
For 99.9999% of the time this is severe overkill. It is that 0.0001% you have to worry about. You say you have never gotten lyme? Nothing ever happens until the first time.
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