New tick disease a concern in NC PA.

[Tabasco-Joe]

There is a new, more dangerous tick disease showing up in north central PA.
This one's much more serious than most of our other tick borne diseases.

DEP urges public caution of ticks following unusually high detection in PA park

Reprinted with permission from the PA Environment Digest.

www.northcentralpa.com

Probably only a matter of time before this spreads to much of the state.

Take care.

 

[JeffK]

That's scary. A friend of mine in MD just got another one called alpha-gal. It comes from the bite of a lone star tick and causes allergy to mammal meat and products. No beef, no pork, no milk or cheeses. Haven't heard of it in PA, but MD is not all that far away.

 

[Tabasco-Joe]

I've been using permethrin religiously on my outdoor clothing for about ten years no.
Have not had a tick bite or even one on my clothes in that time.
That's fishing in some places where I used to pick dozens off my clothing and a couple on my skin.
Stay safe.

 

[5alp]

I've been using permethrin religiously on my outdoor clothing for about ten years no.
Have not had a tick bite or even one on my clothes in that time.
That's fishing in some places where I used to pick dozens off my clothing and a couple on my skin.
Stay safe.

What brand of permethrin do you use? Is is safe on waders, do you use it on waders?

​

 

[pcray1231]

I use Sawyer permethrin. No, I do not use it on waders, but yes on clothes that go under waders. Ticks that jump on a wader have to get up to my chest and touch my shirt before making their way to my skin, and there they shall die, lol.

Permethrin is not a repellant like DEET. Permethrin is an insecticide. It kills them. It's the same stuff they spray in swamps to kill mosquito larva. Also the same stuff that's in flea and tick collars, the shampoo for lice, and the like.

I spray all my outdoor pants and shirts each spring. It says it lasts 6 washings or whatever. By the end of the summer it is likely wearing off and I should re-apply it, but I usually slack on that. Need to do better. But it's definitely one of those late winter/early spring rituals when you have severe cabin fever and you restock and re-organize the fly box, clean fly lines, patch waders, tie new leaders, etc. Taking a clothes rack out to the driveway and going to town with a bunch of permethrin spray bottles, and having your neighbors think you're nuts, is one of them.

 

[Steeltrap]

I've also been using Permethrin for about 10-15 years. I've lost track. I buy a concentrate for about $34 and dilute it to make the Permethrin solution 0.05%. I think the ratio is 20oz water to 1oz concentrated Permethrin.

Like Pcray stated, I've never had a tick bite in that time nor any other ticks on me. I hunt a lot and spray my hunting clothing with it. It does not put a scent on the clothing where the deer can smell it. At least, the 9pt, 8pt and 10pt I've taken over the last 4 years didn't indicate they smelled anything. All taken with a cross bow and all within 20 yards.

 

[Mike]

In 40+ yrs of fieldwork, I never had a tick bite or found one crawling on me when wearing hip boots or chest waders and I never sprayed my clothes or boots. That’s in contrast to having had ticks on my shoes, socks, or pants fairly frequently when walking in the grass outside of the office.

When doing stream surveys, however, after having been forcing my way through brush overhanging the streams I always took a shower when I got home, sweaty, dirty, or not, just in case I had an adult or nymph on me. When walking through riparian areas I was extra careful in the vast majority of cases to prevent branches, etc from hitting my arms, neck shoulders, and head. Occasionally, that couldn’t be helped, however. Most of my fieldwork was spent in Pa’s counties of highest lyme disease occurrence and, I believe, tick densities if I recall correctly.

 

[poopdeck]

I’ll echo the permethrin sentiments. I started using it in the the Army where I lived in tick infested environments for weeks on end, when the Army use to live in the woods. Most people use it incorrectly by spraying it on their clothes when they get out of the truck. It has to be applied to clothing and then left to dry. I won’t go in the woods without it.

 

[troutpoop]

Each year I spray my hat, neck gaiters and fishing shirts. I haven't gone so far as to spray my pants. I'm always in chest waders and the little buggers have a long treacherous path to go that far.

 

[Bamboozle]

I'm also in the Permethrin camp however, ticks like most people generally dislike me as I have only found only one tick ON me in my life even before using Permethrin.

I also use the Sawyer stuff but unfortunately they stopped offering the concentrate "soak kit" so I bought some concentrate at Tractor Supply peddled for horses.

"Hello Wilbur..."

I also bought the wife some BugsAway socks & other stuff to wear when puttering around the property and I have been wearing a BugsAway bandanna around my neck for eons.

 

[coyoterahn]

I too use permitherin and am convinced it works.
FWIW, I’ve also included a link below for a company who provides a service to treat your clothing and claims it lasts through 70 machine washings. That’s a lot. I used them to treat most all of my turkey hunt gear. That was 4 or 5 seasons ago and I’ve yet to find any ticks on me or my clothing since that treatment.

Insect Repellent Clothing | Built-in Bug Protection | Insect Shield

Insect Shield's EPA-registered insect & mosquito repellent technology provides effective, invisible & odorless protection against mosquitoes, ticks, ants, flies, chiggers and midges. Our insect repellent clothing is available for men, women, children & pets, and we can treat your own clothes...

www.insectshield.com

 

[Steeltrap]

I too use permitherin and am convinced it works.
FWIW, I’ve also included a link below for a company who provides a service to treat your clothing and claims it lasts through 70 machine washings. That’s a lot. I used them to treat most all of my turkey hunt gear. That was 4 or 5 seasons ago and I’ve yet to find any ticks on me or my clothing since that treatment.

Insect Repellent Clothing | Built-in Bug Protection | Insect Shield

Insect Shield's EPA-registered insect & mosquito repellent technology provides effective, invisible & odorless protection against mosquitoes, ticks, ants, flies, chiggers and midges. Our insect repellent clothing is available for men, women, children & pets, and we can treat your own clothes...

www.insectshield.com

Well...it may last through 70 washings......but how many washings is it "effective". It could still be on the clothing.....but what trace amount? Generally, I've read where it will last through 6 washings and still be effective.

FWIW

 

[pcray1231]

Steeltrap, 6 washings wen you spray it on yourself. What he's talking about is a professional application, where you send the garment out and they treat it at a factory, bond it to the fabric with a chemical process.

I'm dubious of 70 washings but it will certainly hold up better than the DIY spray on stuff.

 

[salmo]

There is a new, more dangerous tick disease showing up in north central PA.
This one's much more serious than most of our other tick borne diseases.

DEP urges public caution of ticks following unusually high detection in PA park

Reprinted with permission from the PA Environment Digest.

www.northcentralpa.com

Probably only a matter of time before this spreads to much of the state.

Take care.

Just when you thought it was safe to get in the water.......

 

[Steeltrap]

Steeltrap, 6 washings wen you spray it on yourself. What he's talking about is a professional application, where you send the garment out and they treat it at a factory, bond it to the fabric with a chemical process.

I'm dubious of 70 washings but it will certainly hold up better than the DIY spray on stuff.

I dunno. I've been using the DYI spray on stuff from concentrate and it's worked fine. $34 last me for many years and I only treat my hunting clothing at the beginning of the season.

 

[pcray1231]

Same. But stuff you wear often and wash will be degrading protection by fall. Doesn't mean zero protection. But degrading.

The professional application lasts pretty much as long as the garment is expected to.

 

[lycoflyfisher]

I have noticed a huge benefot from spraying my clothes with sawyers. I use the squirt bottle not the aerosol cans. In turkey season in particular I encounter lots of ticks, they crawl up my boots and shortly after touching my pants they fall off. I need to use the stuff on my everyday clothes more often

 

[Tabasco-Joe]

What brand of permethrin do you use? Is is safe on waders, do you use it on waders?

​

I use both Sawyers and concentrated permethrin from Tractor Supply.
Just a note. The concentrate at TS and other feed stores has a petroleum additive to help hold the permethrin to animal hair. I've never found an issue with clothing.
But I don't put it on synthetics. I have cotton shirts and pants that I treat.
Also a cotton sweatshirt and heavy cotton socks.
And some cotton hunting gloves.
Use them when I go into tickland. Afterwards they get washed and retreated.
In the spring I do a wash and heavy treatment.
Intermediate washings a light treatment on the edges.

I especially treat the edges of the clothing.
Cuffs, neckline, sleeve hems, waist area, zippers.

 

[teedee]

I’ll join the Pemethrin users also. I’ve been using it for 20 years.

 

[krayfish2]

The guy that runs shuttles for me got a doozy from a tick last year. Anaplasmosis. After 3 weeks in the hospital, the doctor informed him that he was not far from organ failure! Very scary stuff.

Tick-Transmitted Anaplasmosis Bite is Worse Than Lyme Disease

Anaplasmosis cases result in 25 percent of hospitalizations, compared with 5 percent of Lyme cases

www.google.com