Question for ya! About Ticks.......

[ron w]

I was told a long time ago the only foolish question is the one you don't ask....so here goes. I grew up here in up state New York, both my Grand parents had dairy farms. I played in the fields, helped take in hay and spent all my free time outside. Learned to hunt and fish from my Dad and Uncle. I never remember any talk or even seeing a tick except maybe on a deer when it was hanging up to cool. Has something changed in the environment to make these things such a problem. I have had several on me and have been bitten a few times, my friend is now working with medication to battle Lyme disease. So whats going on???        I'm getting antsy even at 3-D shoots!

[halfseminole]

It's hotter overall.  I wish your friend the best of luck, I've never been the same since getting Lyme.  Treat your clothes and hunt safe.

[LeeNY]

I got bit last year, I saved the little bugger. Called my Doctor got in the next morning. They checked the tick and he was carrying. The Doc took a blood sample. He gave me a script for 4 high dose Antibiotics. took 2 first day, 2 more the next. I went back for another blood test to see if I was infected. Took 3 days for the results. The wait sucked. The results were negative. It's good to get tested and now they start the antibiotics to shock the lyme toxin and kill it.

[ishiwannabe]

Lymes does suck. But it cant compare to the new viruses they are finding in ticks now. Encephilitis mainly, different various viruses. Hunt safe guys.

[ron w]

But is what Halfseminol saying the reason...a warming climate? There are areas near me that are just loaded with ticks and others that are not. Lyme is a real pain....I know several folks that have gotten it and I really don't want it.......

[ronp]

Not sure if it's a coincidence, but the insecticide Diazinon, which was very effective, was banned about 8 years ago and tick populations seem to be increasing.  Blame EPA   :confused:  ???

[cbCrow]

Ron W, I would tend to agree that the world climate is indeed getting warmer. Over the last year I have done some research reading and it seem that those that said no years ago are now going the other way. It is a very much debated subject but I feel we owe it to ourselves to find out all we can, and one article said their seems to be a rise in predatory insects(ticks,skeeters,flys,etc.) due to this warming effect which can lead to other problems. As far as diazinon: have you ever read why it was banned, I don't know about you but I don't want to eat it with my steak, veggies or chicken.

[John Scifres]

There is no doubt that the climate is getting warmer.  The debate is what is causing it. That is best saved for another forum.  

However, the causes of pestulence are as complex as those of climate change, and they are surely related.

Diazinon was never used as a general insecticide for ticks.  And it is still legal for agricultural purposes, just not residential.  Banning it was more for safety than environmental reasons.  Organophosphate pesticides like diazinon are just watered down nerve agents and are nasty things to have around the home and intermixed in our food supply.

For your protection you need an insect repellant that is effective against ticks.  Wear long sleeves and check yourself thoroughly after a day in the field.  Ticks love the soft parts so make sure and get real friendly when you are checking.  If a tick attaches, remove it carefully.  Check the CDC's website for the best methods.  And monitor the attachment site for several days after wards for symptoms of Lyme infection.

[mobiltoy]

I'm close to 50 years old and at least in central no where I live I have seen no increase since childhood. Now in heavy deer population areas you'll see more ticks. They need to stay attached 12 hours at least to transmit the several types of bacteria they have. As said before dress right and use spray. Then check yourself . if in doubt have your primary care doc call in a Rx for antibiotics.

[Jakeemt]

Permetherine during he peak season man don't mess around. I hunt in the heart of tick central in the summer time and that stuff works.

[ron w]

Thanks for the input.....I try to do all that's been said. Still doesn't answer my question why there was almost none growing up and now they are almost an infestation. I don't live in an area that has very high deer numbers. As far as the peak season....it seems around my area it's all year round.

[JEFF B]

Ron w yall need to move to New Zealand thats all I'm going to say  

[ron w]

      You may be right Jeff!!

[Jakeemt]

Well that I cannot say. I know the ticks love 2 things here mild winters and wet springs. I remember as a kid me and my dad stripping down in the woods and scrapping dozens of them off each other with our pocket knives. LOL good memories.

[John Scifres]

Googled it:    http://www.veterinarypracticenews.com/vet-cover-stories/tick-populations-to-explode.aspx  

   

There are many reasons that ticks and the diseases they carry spread:
 

• Warmer winters;

 

• Suburbanization, which brings together people, wildlife and ticks;

• An increase in white-tailed deer;

• Migratory birds that carry ticks to new areas;

 

• A movement toward the preservation of open space and the replanting of trees; and

 

• The use of fewer insecticides.

  Tick Populations to Explode in 2013
Experts predict tick populations will increase dramatically in many areas of the United States.
By Marie Rosenthal, MS
For Veterinary Practice News

[ron w]

We have had mild winters in this part of the world for a few years now......who knows. There was always snow in the Northern zone for deer season...hasn't been hardly any for a number of years. I remember it snowing on Sept 27 one year, opening of bow up north. Last year we hunted snowshoe rabbits after Christmas with no snow. Maybe it is the weather.

[Jakeemt]

Probably is. There is no doubt that the globe is in a period of warming. The reason it is and what to do about it gets most of the fights

[TooManyHobbies]

Warmer and wetter this spring, good for ticks.

I just got my lab results back today. Positive for Lyme. Last week felt like crap, had 13 rashes on my body, only one with a center spot (bite). Started Friday with Doxacycline, feel back to normal now. Still have to take it for the next two weeks.

[ron w]

TooManyHobbies.....hope you can lick it quickly...Thanks for the info John!              

[Hopewell Tom]

There is no doubt that there is Global Warming, most Scientists agree on that. The reasons are not important because it's happening. We probably can't DO anything about it, we have to learn to live with some new realities.
More intense, destructive storms, the North is melting so the sea level is rising, warmer winters, more bugs. We have the same tick problems here in Nova Scotia. There were always ticks on the South Shore, but they're now on the North Shore. Lyme is here too.
The last three Falls we had leaves still on many trees( although they had turned color) in the first two weeks of November. I know this because that's 2 weeks into deer season and that has NEVER happened before.

Something IS happening and the worst may be yet to come...