SurvivingInfidelity.com^®

Good Lord after the coldest worsest winter on record you would think these disease ridden harbingers of evil would have died down.

Nope these MFr s are horrific this year. I can't even take the dogs for a stroll around our yard without getting a few passengers. I certainly hope chickens eat them cause II'm about to treat myself with the dogs tick medicine !!!!!

They are horrible this year!

Have you tried adding some tea tree oil to a spray bottle of water and spraying your body and clothes? I spray my dogs(minus their faces)and it has helped so much! I think it has also helped my dog's allergies to grasses, etc.

Did you know that chickens like to eat them?

I live in a rural county, but it's the only one where we're NOT allowed to keep chickens even in a non-HOA community -drat. Even the nearby city has passed a resolution allowing chickens in really tiny backyards! Anyway, I garden extensively, so always check myself for ticks, but the other night I was sitting on the bed watching TV, and was scratching a mosquito bite on the back of my leg. I noticed a "mole" behind my knee and went to look at it with a magnifying mirror - it was a tick. I had to pull it off with tweezers, so I hope it wasn't a deer tick. Plus every mosquito in the area homes in on me as soon as I go outdoors, no matter what I spray on - it's frustrating!

Yea they tick me off too! Sorry, couldn't resist.

Yes I did confirm that the chickens eat ticks, and made sure that DD and H were working hard on getting the coop completed, because they can't come soon enough at this point. LOL

I walked the dogs around the yard, in mowed short grass last night, covered about a 1/2 mile and I ended up picking 5 off of me after. None had attached themselves, but then I had the creepy crawlies all night.

Still thinking about using a thing of the dog's medicine, I just don't know if I put it on the back of my neck, or someplace else to achieve the most benefit. LOL

Two words: Guinea Fowl

I hate them too! I live in the country and battle them every year. I was sitting outside, enjoying the evening before sunset and something was 'itching' on my neck. Got it ... a Lone Star tick, black with the little white dot on it's back. Lone stars are Lime disease carrier but I got HER before she nailed me. Ugh!

I just removed my fifth one since

March and the bites I got in April are still swollen and itchy.

I've used citronella spray, tea tree, deet, listerine, and a bunch of other stuff and am covered when I garden.

Crazy.

http://www.ticktubes.com/

FYI: Tea tree oil is toxic to cats (if you have any)

If you are into the all natural stuff then rose geranium essential oil is a tick repellent for both dogs and humans.

TCD I do use the rose geranium, I get it and have it all the time, it's one of the scents that goes in my hand cream bars I make.

Not a fan of tea tree oil.

Kat - I have red bumps from my bites as well. They take months and months to go away on me. So I will have them well into the fall. Purty.

I recommend a permethrin spray for your clothes. Even putting some on your socks will help a lot if you wear shorts.

http://sectionhiker.com/treating-your-clothes-with-permethrin/

Make your own Damminix:

http://www.backyardbiology.net/Nature_Activities/ControllingDeerTicks_Activity.shtml

Just pulled one of DH last night - and he was using Deep Woods Off!

They are worse this year. The cold weather actually makes the upcoming season worse because the cold weather doesn't kill them; they hibernate and when spring hits, they're hungry as hell.

I hate them with a passion - I have chronic Lyme and two tick-borne co-infections.