Ticks, Lyme Disease and Tick Tubes

Get Off My Lawn

Artist formerly known as Pink Vapor
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*Edit* I added measurements for dilution, extra links, and best times to place the tubes.
The ticks are friggin' horrible already, The best time to apply is in late-April and late-July before young ticks begin feeding. The use of tick tubes can reduce the tick population by up to 90%, making it one of the most effective tick control methods available.
I found about Thermacell's Tick Tubes last year and how to make a bunch of them inexpensively for larger areas. They do make a difference.
Here's Tick Tube info-
https://www.grandviewoutdoors.com/l...ess-nature-combat-epic-lyme-disease-outbreak/
http://www.ticktubes.com/works.html
Deet tick data & manual http://www.ticktubes.com/downloads/deertickmanual.pdf
Here's what I purchased, 36.8% permethrin, it goes a long way https://www.domyown.com/permethrin-sfr-368-p-445.html
Unlike most repellents/poisons, it doesn't smell once it's dry, it's also the same ingredient the military uniforms are treated with, and what's in Sawyer's https://sawyer.com/products/permethrin-insect-repellent-treatment/
This is scent free when dry, and A LOT less expensive
https://www.domyown.com/permethrin-sfr-368-p-445.html
To make tick tubes (7.4%)- Add 6.4oz of the permethrin to 32oz (1 qt) of water, wet & dry cotton balls, fill your saved toilet & paper towel tubes, place them at 15-20 yard intervals--> bingo dead ticks.
To treat clothing, tents, sleeping bags, etc.- Mix 32oz water with 1/2oz to 3/4oz of this permethrin and spray them until wet.

Youtube Tick Tube search:
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=tick+tube
 
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I had lyme disease for the latter half of 2016 into '17, and I wouldn't wish that on anyone that isn't a jerk. It was brutal. But when I was in the field, like literal fields, and woods, etc. when I worked outside, I sprayed myself with Repel 100, very generously. That stuff kept everything off of me; gotta love deet.
 
I had lyme disease for the latter half of 2016 into '17, and I wouldn't wish that on anyone that isn't a jerk. It was brutal. But when I was in the field, like literal fields, and woods, etc. when I worked outside, I sprayed myself with Repel 100, very generously. That stuff kept everything off of me; gotta love deet.
DEET works, like permethrin it's also awful to have on your skin.
 
I had lyme disease for the latter half of 2016 into '17, and I wouldn't wish that on anyone that isn't a jerk. It was brutal. But when I was in the field, like literal fields, and woods, etc. when I worked outside, I sprayed myself with Repel 100, very generously. That stuff kept everything off of me; gotta love deet.
It is a horrible ordeal.... I went through it for the most part of 2013... didn't know what was going on for several weeks until wife spotted the bullseye target rash on my back.... SUCKS!!
 
DEET works by fouling up a mosquitos ability to sense your blood and find you, since a tick just hangs around on leaves waiting for something to brush up against it I can't see how that would do anything for them.
 
Had Rocky Mountain Spotted fever in about 2005, luckily caught early and treated with antibiotics, sick as a dog for about 10 days, but no lasting damage. Lyme disease in about 2015, to me both of them are about like having the terrible flu without snot, tired, achy, can hardly get out of bed, but hurts to lay down! So no fan of ticks, but where I live and especially the amount of time I spend outdoors deer and dog ticks are just a part of life.

edit: amazes me that I can take my dog to the vet and with a simply blood test they can immediately determine if the dog has Lyme. But at the time I had it, they ran two test, one positive, one negative and then they said that they don't really trust the results??
 
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Beware of the Lone Star Tick. I've got a red meat allergy from one of those little bastards.

I get to carry an EpiPen. Not had any BBQ, bacon, steak, ribs, pork chops...no red meat for over 1.5 years now. Got re-tested for it two months ago and still positive.

https://acaai.org/allergies/types/food-allergies/types-food-allergy/meat-allergy

Eat red meat and hives, swelling, rashes, and airways start shutting down... aka Anaphylactic Shock.

Birds and Seafood are what I eat now.

413869074.jpg
 
Beware of the Lone Star Tick. I've got a red meat allergy from one of those little bastards.

I get to carry an EpiPen. Not had any BBQ, bacon, steak, ribs, pork chops...no red meat for over 1.5 years now. Got re-tested for it two months ago and still positive.

https://acaai.org/allergies/types/food-allergies/types-food-allergy/meat-allergy

Eat red meat and hives, swelling, rashes, and airways start shutting down... aka Anaphylactic Shock.

Birds and Seafood are what I eat now.

413869074.jpg
Oh Crap, no deer meat, they’d have to just shoot me.
 
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Yeh I know. I like to deer hunt and thats what we ate...venison. Makes it not-as-much-fun to deer hunt.

Look more shoot less. I shot one deer last year and gave the meat to family members. Kept the head to do a skull mount (not done it yet).

413608670.jpg
 
What do you guys think about Picaridin? I have used 40% DEET products most of my adult life, but geez that stuff is rough if it gets in your eyes and mouth. Natrapel is one of the brands we tried with Picaridin
and it seemed to work well in the Belizean jungle last month :D
 
Beware of the Lone Star Tick. I've got a red meat allergy from one of those little bastards.

I get to carry an EpiPen. Not had any BBQ, bacon, steak, ribs, pork chops...no red meat for over 1.5 years now. Got re-tested for it two months ago and still positive.

https://acaai.org/allergies/types/food-allergies/types-food-allergy/meat-allergy

Eat red meat and hives, swelling, rashes, and airways start shutting down... aka Anaphylactic Shock.

Birds and Seafood are what I eat now.

413869074.jpg


Never heard of this growing up till recently and you are the second person that had same results with the meat allergy I have heard about. Hate the little things.
 
Does the tick tube idea kill bees?
A quick Google search says "permethrin is extremely toxic to bees". I think this is one of the advantages to the tubes in that it causes the rodents to target the ticks at the nest rather than just spraying it where it will impact bees.
 
I've never had deet work for ticks. My land is covered with them in the hot months. I've sprayed 100% deet on my sleeves and ankles and picked 10 off on the way home.
Permethrin. I've hunted in the nasty swamps of Pee Dee and sprayed my socks and everything else with permethrin 10% diluted to similar strength as Sawyers. Pulled off my socks and a dozen dead ticks fell off them.
It's especially effective for 'seed ticks'
 
What do you guys think about Picaridin? I have used 40% DEET products most of my adult life, but geez that stuff is rough if it gets in your eyes and mouth. Natrapel is one of the brands we tried with Picaridin
and it seemed to work well in the Belizean jungle last month :D
I like the Picardin for repelling mosquitos, but I don't know if it is effective on ticks. It is not at all unpleasant to use and is my go-to when I am outdoors but not in the tall weeds and brush.
 
Last couple of weekends I mowed the big field we have. It's a pain but ticks don't like short grass nearly as much. I also pissed off the giant grasshoppers which kept landing on me.

On the down side, my wife says that she's seen a lot of caterpillars that are starving and dying because the cutting got rid of the milkweed too.
 
Last couple of weekends I mowed the big field we have. It's a pain but ticks don't like short grass nearly as much. I also pissed off the giant grasshoppers which kept landing on me.

On the down side, my wife says that she's seen a lot of caterpillars that are starving and dying because the cutting got rid of the milkweed too.
next time take one of those older polyester fiber blankets, stretch it out and catch you a couple dozen of those grasshoppers. They make fine fishing bait
 
DEET works by fouling up a mosquitos ability to sense your blood and find you, since a tick just hangs around on leaves waiting for something to brush up against it I can't see how that would do anything for them.
Mosquitoes are actually attracted to the co2 you exhaust as you breath.. ... just saying
 
Get you some guineas to roam the property. They are great for ticks and they do not scratch up flower beds like chickens do.

We have guineas in the pasture and have only had 1 tick on our dogs over the last several years.
 
Get you some guineas to roam the property. They are great for ticks and they do not scratch up flower beds like chickens do.
We have guineas in the pasture and have only had 1 tick on our dogs over the last several years.
Will they roam the woods? I'd hate to have them sound their alarm while hunting out back.
We had 15 at the farm, they didn't get to grow up because the neighbor's dog (that NEVER came on our property) killed them all.
 
I did the math to find how much to actually use for a quart that's = to Sawyers (0.5%), please correct me if I'm off.
The Martin's is 36.8% https://www.domyown.com/permethrin-sfr-368-p-445.html
According to the interwebs, concentration calculation is (C=concentration, V=volume) C1V1=C2V2
A 0.5% product is 37%V1=0.5%32oz, therefore 37%V1=0.16, V1=0.43oz of permethrin for a 32oz bottle to treat clothes.
Double the strength 1% product is 0.865oz/32oz.
To make tick tubes (7.4%)- Add 6.4oz of the permethrin to 32oz (1 qt) of water, wet & dry cotton balls, fill your saved toilet & paper towel tubes, place them at 15-20 yard intervals--> bingo dead ticks.
 
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Get you some guineas to roam the property. They are great for ticks and they do not scratch up flower beds like chickens do.

We have guineas in the pasture and have only had 1 tick on our dogs over the last several years.

Same thing here. Ticks, chiggers, etc - the guinea hen's keep things cleaned up.
 
Anyone near ClT needs some permitherin let me know, I bought a quart of it last year and a little goes a loooong way. Maybe bring a spray bottle or two to the first Friday lunch and we’ll fill them up.

trade for toilet paper tubes🤣
 
I have a quart of 36.8% permethrin I've used for years.

I did the math once and came up with about 1/2 teaspoon per 12 ounce spray bottle, if I remember correctly, to give you 0.5%. I typically use 3/4 teaspoon. And by 3/4 teaspoon, I mean a fat, overflowing 3/4 teaspoon.

Each summer, before heading to the family reunion in Kentucky where we often take a trip out to the old family cemetery (through tick infested fields), I will treat all my clothes with this homemade spray. Socks, underwear, shirts, pants, shoes. NEVER had a tick problem since starting that.

Once ran into a bedbug problem at a motel. I had the girls shower and check each other while I took all our luggage and their dirty clothing outside. Since I keep my quart of permethrin in the trunk, I kept mixing up solution as I emptied everything out, laid it out on the car, and liberally sprayed down EVERYTHING. Including a set of clothing for the girls. As a bonus, I sprayed the whole interior of the car...seats, carpet, door panels, and trunk.

NOTHING made it back home.

Spending around $60 for a quart may sound like a lot of money...but there are 192 teaspoons in a quart, which means you can make 384 twelve ounce bottles of spray. That's 36 GALLONS. Sawyer Permethrin spray at Walmart comes in 12 ounce spray bottles for $10. So for $60, you can make the equivalent of $3,840 worth of product.
 
I dispense with a syringe, metric math is easier for us slow lazy folk.
 
I have a quart of 36.8% permethrin I've used for years.

I did the math once and came up with about 1/2 teaspoon per 12 ounce spray bottle, if I remember correctly, to give you 0.5%. I typically use 3/4 teaspoon. And by 3/4 teaspoon, I mean a fat, overflowing 3/4 teaspoon.

Each summer, before heading to the family reunion in Kentucky where we often take a trip out to the old family cemetery (through tick infested fields), I will treat all my clothes with this homemade spray. Socks, underwear, shirts, pants, shoes. NEVER had a tick problem since starting that.

Once ran into a bedbug problem at a motel. I had the girls shower and check each other while I took all our luggage and their dirty clothing outside. Since I keep my quart of permethrin in the trunk, I kept mixing up solution as I emptied everything out, laid it out on the car, and liberally sprayed down EVERYTHING. Including a set of clothing for the girls. As a bonus, I sprayed the whole interior of the car...seats, carpet, door panels, and trunk.

NOTHING made it back home.

Spending around $60 for a quart may sound like a lot of money...but there are 192 teaspoons in a quart, which means you can make 384 twelve ounce bottles of spray. That's 36 GALLONS. Sawyer Permethrin spray at Walmart comes in 12 ounce spray bottles for $10. So for $60, you can make the equivalent of $3,840 worth of product.
$33 for a quart, and it has no odor when dry.
 
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