Comments on: seed ticks: the devil’s spawn http://mayalassiter.com/2009/08/seed-ticks-the-scourge-of-the-earth/ tracking the wild novelist in her native habitat (bring chocolate) Wed, 23 May 2012 13:26:59 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 By: Dionne http://mayalassiter.com/2009/08/seed-ticks-the-scourge-of-the-earth/comment-page-3/#comment-32584 Dionne Tue, 22 May 2012 20:28:55 +0000 http://mayalassiter.com/blog/2009/08/seed-ticks-the-scourge-of-the-earth/#comment-32584 Hi Maya and others! Thanks so much for your posting! It has been a huge help! I hate parasites of any kind, almost to the point of it being silly, but I can't help it! I hate spiders and ticks remind me of spiders, but at least spiders aren't parasites lol! I live in Middle TN and the ticks are awful this year! Until I read your blog, I thought that a seed tick was its own type of tick. I didn't realize they're just nymphs! Thanks for the info and what to do to prevent/deal with the bites and itching! I'm just going to have to be diligent about checking myself and my daugthers after playing outside. Hi Maya and others! Thanks so much for your posting! It has been a huge help! I hate parasites of any kind, almost to the point of it being silly, but I can’t help it! I hate spiders and ticks remind me of spiders, but at least spiders aren’t parasites lol! I live in Middle TN and the ticks are awful this year! Until I read your blog, I thought that a seed tick was its own type of tick. I didn’t realize they’re just nymphs! Thanks for the info and what to do to prevent/deal with the bites and itching! I’m just going to have to be diligent about checking myself and my daugthers after playing outside.

]]> By: maya http://mayalassiter.com/2009/08/seed-ticks-the-scourge-of-the-earth/comment-page-3/#comment-32567 maya Tue, 22 May 2012 13:50:44 +0000 http://mayalassiter.com/blog/2009/08/seed-ticks-the-scourge-of-the-earth/#comment-32567 You'll only itch if you got bites. You don't need to disinfect anything. Breathe, you'll be fine! :) You’ll only itch if you got bites. You don’t need to disinfect anything. Breathe, you’ll be fine! :)

]]> By: shania http://mayalassiter.com/2009/08/seed-ticks-the-scourge-of-the-earth/comment-page-3/#comment-32527 shania Mon, 21 May 2012 22:01:22 +0000 http://mayalassiter.com/blog/2009/08/seed-ticks-the-scourge-of-the-earth/#comment-32527 ok, so today afterschool when the day ended i went to sit on the grass and wait for my mom to pick me up.. then i look down to the ground and i see like 2 climing up my legs, a million of them on my backpack, and another million on my violin case.. when my mom came she saw that ane she took a car brush and scraped it all of! will i have to like disinect everything even though there are no more ticks on it?? i was really discusted and so was my mom.. so as soon as i got home i ran upstairs and i took a shower.... do you think i will get itchy and things..?? eww i just dont know what to tell you, its just nasty, please give me answers!! :( ok, so today afterschool when the day ended i went to sit on the grass and wait for my mom to pick me up.. then i look down to the ground and i see like 2 climing up my legs, a million of them on my backpack, and another million on my violin case.. when my mom came she saw that ane she took a car brush and scraped it all of! will i have to like disinect everything even though there are no more ticks on it?? i was really discusted and so was my mom.. so as soon as i got home i ran upstairs and i took a shower…. do you think i will get itchy and things..?? eww i just dont know what to tell you, its just nasty, please give me answers!! :(

]]> By: Elspeth Ham http://mayalassiter.com/2009/08/seed-ticks-the-scourge-of-the-earth/comment-page-3/#comment-31893 Elspeth Ham Sun, 06 May 2012 22:11:55 +0000 http://mayalassiter.com/blog/2009/08/seed-ticks-the-scourge-of-the-earth/#comment-31893 Yuk! I was just mowing the grass avoiding all the creatures moving out of the way when my eye caught a fat cricket with these wierd clumps of brown like a saddle across his back, hanging from his jump legs and bonneting his head. What the F. is that? I stopped the mower, grabbed him and headed in to find my magnifying glass in the bathroom. Couldn't find it so trying to scrape, grab, pick this poor cricket without pulling his head off. You could grab a clump, pull, almost get it off and then the whole thing would greasily slump back into place like a barnacle. Finally seeing a few of these little shits crawling over my hands I got it, freaked and headed inside for Natural Chemistry's De Flea made from castor beans I think; it blows em up on contact by swelling their intestines. Unfortunately it might affect the poor cricket and by now I had a little clump on my hand rapidly disassembling. The cricket might have preferred I smash him, slather his vampires and watch them blow like the clump on my hand delightfully puffing up and becoming immobile. But with an army heading up my arms, sad to say, I pitched the cricket in the grass, slathered me instead, and am now wondering what I might have done for him had I been prepared. I had singing crickets that went to school with me as a child.My father brought back the most beautiful cricket cage from Takashimaye in Japan made of bamboo and beads with a sliding door. Damn it. Any ideas? PS for humans the De Flea works and you can wash right off, no barnacles. Yuk! I was just mowing the grass avoiding all the creatures moving out of the way when my eye caught a fat cricket with these wierd clumps of brown like a saddle across his back, hanging from his jump legs and bonneting his head. What the F. is that? I stopped the mower, grabbed him and headed in to find my magnifying glass in the bathroom. Couldn’t find it so trying to scrape, grab, pick this poor cricket without pulling his head off. You could grab a clump, pull, almost get it off and then the whole thing would greasily slump back into place like a barnacle. Finally seeing a few of these little shits crawling over my hands I got it, freaked and headed inside for Natural Chemistry’s De Flea made from castor beans I think; it blows em up on contact by swelling their intestines. Unfortunately it might affect the poor cricket and by now I had a little clump on my hand rapidly disassembling. The cricket might have preferred I smash him, slather his vampires and watch them blow like the clump on my hand delightfully puffing up and becoming immobile. But with an army heading up my arms, sad to say, I pitched the cricket in the grass, slathered me instead, and am now wondering what I might have done for him had I been prepared. I had singing crickets that went to school with me as a child.My father brought back the most beautiful cricket cage from Takashimaye in Japan made of bamboo and beads with a sliding door. Damn it. Any ideas? PS for humans the De Flea works and you can wash right off, no barnacles.

]]> By: Shannon http://mayalassiter.com/2009/08/seed-ticks-the-scourge-of-the-earth/comment-page-3/#comment-31684 Shannon Wed, 02 May 2012 04:05:42 +0000 http://mayalassiter.com/blog/2009/08/seed-ticks-the-scourge-of-the-earth/#comment-31684 I have been reading about the dislike of certain essential oils (not poisons) by ticks. We also encountered a tick infestation when we purchased some land in southern MO. Although even as I watched them crawl up my pant legs, I was only bitten by one adult (found him attached near my belly button later on in the evening). Maybe the Deep Woods Off that I had already sprayed on me kept the little ones from biting. Anyway, there are several essential oils that can be combined with a carrier oil such as almond or olive and added to aloe vera gel. This concoction is supposed to repel them when rubbed on the skin, and a similar treatment for dogs is also supposedly effective. Might be worth a shot, and a little less toxic. On a different note, we have decided to buy some guineas to keep on our land, as they are serious tick-munchers! Can't wait to see how that works. Now my head won't stop itching. Ewww..... I have been reading about the dislike of certain essential oils (not poisons) by ticks. We also encountered a tick infestation when we purchased some land in southern MO. Although even as I watched them crawl up my pant legs, I was only bitten by one adult (found him attached near my belly button later on in the evening). Maybe the Deep Woods Off that I had already sprayed on me kept the little ones from biting. Anyway, there are several essential oils that can be combined with a carrier oil such as almond or olive and added to aloe vera gel. This concoction is supposed to repel them when rubbed on the skin, and a similar treatment for dogs is also supposedly effective. Might be worth a shot, and a little less toxic. On a different note, we have decided to buy some guineas to keep on our land, as they are serious tick-munchers! Can’t wait to see how that works. Now my head won’t stop itching. Ewww…..

]]> By: Cody http://mayalassiter.com/2009/08/seed-ticks-the-scourge-of-the-earth/comment-page-3/#comment-30327 Cody Thu, 05 Apr 2012 07:31:50 +0000 http://mayalassiter.com/blog/2009/08/seed-ticks-the-scourge-of-the-earth/#comment-30327 I am from tennessee and we dont have seed tick problems here, but i turkey hunt I'n Oklahoma and i get bombed a couple times every year. The best thing i have found to get them off is a swimming pool. The chemicals I'n the water kill them dead, and i usually come out of the pool with barely a one on me and usually go I'n covered from my ankles to shoulders. I have been covered up by these little blood suckers more times than i care to count and there isn't much you can do about the itching other than just scratch and deal with it. Sometimes it takes a couple of weeks some times longer. My last experience with them the bites lasted for a little over a month. I am from tennessee and we dont have seed tick problems here, but i turkey hunt I’n Oklahoma and i get bombed a couple times every year. The best thing i have found to get them off is a swimming pool. The chemicals I’n the water kill them dead, and i usually come out of the pool with barely a one on me and usually go I’n covered from my ankles to shoulders. I have been covered up by these little blood suckers more times than i care to count and there isn’t much you can do about the itching other than just scratch and deal with it. Sometimes it takes a couple of weeks some times longer. My last experience with them the bites lasted for a little over a month.

]]> By: Tom http://mayalassiter.com/2009/08/seed-ticks-the-scourge-of-the-earth/comment-page-3/#comment-29424 Tom Fri, 23 Mar 2012 15:42:51 +0000 http://mayalassiter.com/blog/2009/08/seed-ticks-the-scourge-of-the-earth/#comment-29424 I live in central MA. My house, my yard, my whole area is heavily infested with ticks. I can barely go outside without getting a tick of some sort on me. Lately, it has always been some stage of deer tick. I have had Lyme disease. I used to use Frontline on my border collie. He was having seizures occasionally. Suspecting it could be the Frontline, I stopped. So did the seizures. Not very scientific but enough so for me. I tried the Tic-Clip. The first one seemed to work for 2 years. Just put a 2nd one on him 4 months ago and this time it doesn't seem to work. Now, I think I will try garlic. I can't wait until I'm able to take Kate's advice and move to FL. I live in central MA. My house, my yard, my whole area is heavily infested with ticks. I can barely go outside without getting a tick of some sort on me. Lately, it has always been some stage of deer tick. I have had Lyme disease. I used to use Frontline on my border collie. He was having seizures occasionally. Suspecting it could be the Frontline, I stopped. So did the seizures. Not very scientific but enough so for me. I tried the Tic-Clip. The first one seemed to work for 2 years. Just put a 2nd one on him 4 months ago and this time it doesn’t seem to work. Now, I think I will try garlic.

I can’t wait until I’m able to take Kate’s advice and move to FL.

]]> By: Sydney http://mayalassiter.com/2009/08/seed-ticks-the-scourge-of-the-earth/comment-page-3/#comment-29416 Sydney Fri, 23 Mar 2012 14:09:51 +0000 http://mayalassiter.com/blog/2009/08/seed-ticks-the-scourge-of-the-earth/#comment-29416 Good tick info. I'm over 50, spent more time in the woods than most but had never seen a seed tick until about 3 or 4 years ago. I'm in Ohio and have already been bitten by seed ticks here last week. We have had extremely warm weather lately. When I get bit I get big itchy welts that last about two weeks, I believe they are Lone Star tick nymphs here. Last year I saw a turkey infested with seed ticks and suspect the explosion of wild turkeys and other wildlife combined with warmer temperatures to be partly responsible for the apparent rise in the tick population. I have broken down and started using products containing DEET it helps a lot but is not fool proof. Lastly, anyone who goes to spend time in the country and woods aware that they will be exposed to these micro beasts is very brave - even with chemicals on. I believe they are out early this year so watch out! Good tick info. I’m over 50, spent more time in the woods than most but had never seen a seed tick until about 3 or 4 years ago. I’m in Ohio and have already been bitten by seed ticks here last week. We have had extremely warm weather lately. When I get bit I get big itchy welts that last about two weeks, I believe they are Lone Star tick nymphs here.

Last year I saw a turkey infested with seed ticks and suspect the explosion of wild turkeys and other wildlife combined with warmer temperatures to be partly responsible for the apparent rise in the tick population.

I have broken down and started using products containing DEET it helps a lot but is not fool proof.

Lastly, anyone who goes to spend time in the country and woods aware that they will be exposed to these micro beasts is very brave – even with chemicals on. I believe they are out early this year so watch out!

]]> By: maya http://mayalassiter.com/2009/08/seed-ticks-the-scourge-of-the-earth/comment-page-3/#comment-29351 maya Thu, 22 Mar 2012 10:54:35 +0000 http://mayalassiter.com/blog/2009/08/seed-ticks-the-scourge-of-the-earth/#comment-29351 Are you kidding? Yuck! :) Spraying poison that does who knows what horrible stuff to frogs/birds/people all over everything doesn't seem like a great solution. Ticks are terrible, but I'm not going to drop a nuclear bomb to get rid of them, you know? Are you kidding? Yuck! :) Spraying poison that does who knows what horrible stuff to frogs/birds/people all over everything doesn’t seem like a great solution. Ticks are terrible, but I’m not going to drop a nuclear bomb to get rid of them, you know?

]]> By: lynn http://mayalassiter.com/2009/08/seed-ticks-the-scourge-of-the-earth/comment-page-3/#comment-29281 lynn Tue, 20 Mar 2012 19:20:49 +0000 http://mayalassiter.com/blog/2009/08/seed-ticks-the-scourge-of-the-earth/#comment-29281 Purchase a chemical called 38 from a plant nursery. Mix exactly according to directions and spray all over your yard, under decks any place your animals roam or children play. It will kill ticks, fleas and mosquitoes (flies too as far as we can tell). And be sure and treat your pets with frontline plus or something as strong, to help prevent them from tracking them back to your yard and home. Purchase a chemical called 38 from a plant nursery. Mix exactly according to directions and spray all over your yard, under decks any place your animals roam or children play. It will kill ticks, fleas and mosquitoes (flies too as far as we can tell). And be sure and treat your pets with frontline plus or something as strong, to help prevent them from tracking them back to your yard and home.

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