Ticklandia....(warning, gross pic)

[Nematode]

There is a neighborhood wide tick control study of sorts going on in my FIL's neighborhood in Poughkeepsie.
I don't know what they are doing but no ticks there this year. Rolled in the grass, not one to be seen.
Couldn't go in the grass in years past, would get covered in them.
Of course it could be that Vassar culled 75 deer from their herd and there are fewer of the vermin passing through..... So hard to do good science with all the variables....

[oakley]

It has been the talk of the town, NY state, Conn.
All our neighbors are horrified. Fortunately this variety is larger than the deer tick and
with an essential recipe oil on our skin they can't find a place to adhere.

Our numbers are way down now. Have not found a single one on us or the pups in a few
days now.

I did spray another round of DE fermented garlic and hot pepper, to the perimiter and
added some neem. Also close to the house foundation.
Tossed mosquito bits around the yard.

During a few days of rain i sprayed Beneficial Nematodes.
Not sure what is working but possibly a predatory insect came along.

The best tick check for our pups is a big white sheet on the liv rm floor. Ordered a 4
pack of the cheap tick combs from amazon. Combing through the ticks get stuck in the
teeth of the comb or jump on the sheet. We have glasses of pharmacy alcohol all over
the house so just drop them in. Vinegar works also. Takes about 45 seconds instead of
20.

Saw on the news Conn is incubating quail to release.

We went from gathering about a thousand two weeks ago to none. Though we expect
to keep finding some. I was in a convenient store check out and felt one on my neck.
Held it between my fingers until i got outside to destroy it, ick. I feel them on me all day
but false no-tick itches.
(must be some in the truck cab. ick).

[bower]

Just the other day, I saw a photo of a tick infested snowshoe hare here in NL. According to the experts they do not attach to humans or pets, still it was the first time I'd heard of ticks of any kind here on the island. Still I would bite my tongue before saying we don't have em and nothing to worry about... you can never say never. My condolence to all affected!
Honestly, I was relieved to look at my latest bunny pics and to see no tics on em either. Glad to hear you're getting some relief, Oakley.

[Worth1]

Ticks are one of he reasons I left South Eastern Oklahoma.
I would never live in a tick infested place ever again in my life.
18 years of those crawling blood sucking SOB's were enough for me.

[SteveP]

Originally Posted by Worth1

Ticks are one of he reasons I left South Eastern Oklahoma.
I would never live in a tick infested place ever again in my life.
18 years of those crawling blood sucking SOB's were enough for me.

When in SE OK did you ever eat any Porter Peaches?

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by SteveP

When in SE OK did you ever eat any Porter Peaches?

I have no idea if we did or not.
We grew our own and went into maybe Arkansas to pick in the Gerber peach orchard.
It may have been in Oklahoma I dont know.
We lived only about 30 some odd miles from the border.
Around 50 miles from Mena if you took the Talimena drive which we lived about 1 1/2 miles or less from the Oklahoma entrance side.
This is the kind of country I packed a rifle in growing up.
It was right out my back door literally.
Worth

[Worth1]

Also the reason I find Austin and big cities despicable.
Worth

[SteveP]

Originally Posted by Worth1

I have no idea if we did or not.
We grew our own and went into maybe Arkansas to pick in the Gerber peach orchard.
It may have been in Oklahoma I dont know.
We lived only about 30 some odd miles from the border.
Around 50 miles from Mena if you took the Talimena drive which we lived about 1 1/2 miles or less from the Oklahoma entrance side.
This is the kind of country I packed a rifle in growing up.
It was right out my back door literally.
Worth

I have a good friend that lives in that area. Beautiful remote area. Plus reports of Bigfoot!😳

[Nematode]

Thats beautiful.

Sooo the whole get rid of the mice get rid of the ticks didn't work.
The ticks were a month later than usual, and thick as ever.

Getting a flail mower to keep the grass/field around the house short, that should help.
The ticks aren't bad at all in the woods, but crazy around the house.

[oakley]

We keep the field grass short all around the barn and garden and path.
Bush Hog a wide path the upper 40.
Zip ticks the past couple days.

[Worth1]

Ticks and chiggers like to hang out on tall plants so they can get on critters better.
Growing up in the forest we always avoided any understory plants.

In the pictuer I showed above the reason that it had so many ticks in it was they allowed people to run cattle in it.
For what reason I dont know because there wasn't a darn thing for them to eat.

[oakley]

That is beautiful country Worth. At 19 i traveled around the country visiting most of
our states starting from NewOrleans where i was living at the time. Crossed southern
then the Cali coast to Washington state, then back across. 3 months. Between the two
of us we had destinations/friends to stay with. Otherwise we would find a motel pool
to hang out pretending to be a guest...nap, swim.

Good memories.

Later worked in Memphis, Richmond, Austin, Providence, Miami, Alberta, Newfoundland,
etc...all great but coastal has my soul...NYC and NFLD.

[MuddyToes]

I got 3 tick bites in less than a month. And now I have a wicked spider bite on my toe. Antibiotic seems to be helping.

This is the worst tick season I have ever experienced.

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by MuddyToes

I got 3 tick bites in less than a month. And now I have a wicked spider bite on my toe. Antibiotic seems to be helping.

This is the worst tick season I have ever experienced.

I dont know how old you are but I hope it isn't a sign of things to come.

Worth

[MuddyToes]

Originally Posted by Worth1

I dont know how old you are but I hope it isn't a sign of things to come.

Worth

Older than dirt! 56 actually.

I don't know if the overwhelming tick population and dwindling honeybees are related. But I do know that our neighborhood developer sprays weed killer every couple of weeks here. Grrrr. No clover, no honeybees. But lots of deer, squirrels and ticks.