It's Official: I'm Declaring War

[Bailey Guns]

War on ticks. The little bastards are on everything. We keep our dogs treated but they still hitch rides on them into the house before falling off...which might be anywhere. There must be millions of them around the property which is covered in brush, tall grasses and other vegetation. I keep the area around the house neat and tidy and the grass mowed but that's just not working. We've decided to resort to a chemical attack. I'm gonna spray an area completely around the house and the yard with permethrin to try to knock down the amount of ticks the dogs pick up. I wish I could hire a crop duster to just spray the entire area...they're that bad this year.

I'm also gonna make tick-tubes, spray some dedicated jeans, shirts, socks, shoes, hat, etc...to wear outside and try hard to make life miserable for the little bloodsuckers.

Anyone have any helpful tips for controlling them?

[ray1970]

And I thought everything was rosey in good old Idaho.

[ray1970]

Seriously though, when I used to live in a heavily wooded area we would spread some sort of white powder that would get rid of the ticks. I think it was lime(?) powder.

[theGinsue]

Wish I had some tips but I don't.

My parents property in rural MO is also saturated with ticks. NOTHING we tried would control them. We had beagles with flea/tick collars and every tme we'd let them back in the house we'd take about 75 ticks off of each of them before letting them pass out of the entry foyer. We's stick the ticks on straight pins to capture them and weeks later the bastards were still alive. Used to go through a lot of straight pins. I had a "kill jar" to kill insects for a required high school biology insect collection. Can't remember what the kill agent was but most things would die in minutes - but not the ticks, they'd thrive in the jar. The only up side was I got really good at removing embedded ticks from the skin without leaving the head in.

Good luck. After my experience with ticks I hate them more than spiders (this from a guy who was bit by a brown recluse).

[theGinsue]

Seriously though, when I used to live in a heavily wooded area we would spread some sort of white powder that would get rid of the ticks. I think it was lime(?) powder.

Can't use lme if there's any chance his dogs might get into it.

[Monky]

7 dust? If they still sell it.. use to cover the dogs in it growing up and put a perimeter around the house.. I think that's what it was called.


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[Bailey Guns]

I own property in MO. You're right about ticks there. It's far worse than here.

I'm hesitant to use permethrin even though I've seen how effective it is. Unfortunately is doesn't discriminate between ticks and things I don't want to kill like bees. But I rarely see bees in the tall grasses...they concentrate themselves around the flowering plants. It's pretty cool to watch video of ticks encountering permethrin or even clothing that's been treated. It's like kryptonite to ticks.

[Bailey Guns]

7 dust? If they still sell it.. use to cover the dogs in it growing up and put a perimeter around the house.. I think that's what it was called.

Oh, yeah...Sevin dust. Might consider that in some areas, too.

[sako55]

spray the areas later in the evening after bees are back at the hives. There might still be some pollinator loss but it will be minimized. Better than Rocky Mtn spotted fever in my opinion.

There is an increase in the tick population here this year as well. Some tick collections were done in a few river drainages in the Front Range and it was found that a large percentage of them were carrying the fever.

[BushMasterBoy]

Diatomaceous earth.

[Mercula]

Permirthrin is the ticket for treating clothing , shit you can even spray it on animals , I'd do some serious research first. I hate the bastids !

[Zundfolge]

"I say we take off and nuke the site from orbit ... its the only way to be sure."

[Great-Kazoo]

War on ticks. The little bastards are on everything. We keep our dogs treated but they still hitch rides on them into the house before falling off...which might be anywhere. There must be millions of them around the property which is covered in brush, tall grasses and other vegetation. I keep the area around the house neat and tidy and the grass mowed but that's just not working. We've decided to resort to a chemical attack. I'm gonna spray an area completely around the house and the yard with permethrin to try to knock down the amount of ticks the dogs pick up. I wish I could hire a crop duster to just spray the entire area...they're that bad this year.

I'm also gonna make tick-tubes, spray some dedicated jeans, shirts, socks, shoes, hat, etc...to wear outside and try hard to make life miserable for the little bloodsuckers.

Anyone have any helpful tips for controlling them?


Thanks to the moisture you had this winter, you're going to see a lot more than there is now. Better hop it's a dry hot summer.

The property and clothes, you're on your own. For the family 1 word, GARLIC. After my springtime work on the rez, i was attacked by them critters like it was sadie hawkins day. Come summertime with myself the wiser thanks to the locals, I started adding more garlic to my diet. Two weeks in spring, two in summer after that and Zero tics. I was wondering why some of their dogs were walking tic feeders and others nothing. They showed m garlic tablets both the people and dogs took. I started 1 week before the trip.
They're also available in 2000 mg
https://www.amazon.com/Natures-Bounty-Garlic-Odorless-Softgels/dp/B004JO7BTG/ref=sr_1_4_a_it/138-4234325-6771638?ie=UTF8&qid=1496202010&sr=8-4&keywords=garlic+tablets

[sniper7]

I hate ticks with every ounce of me. Probably more than just about anything. I would use fire to kill about everything tick infested within 200'.

[davsel]

Import fire ants from Texas. Ticks don't last around fire ants. But, then you have the joy of fire ants - more painful, less diseasy.

Otherwise, +1 for 7 Dust.

[Gman]

I guess someone figured out how to get blood out of a potato.

Good luck fighting the little bastards.

[TheGrey]

Chickens. Free-range chickens will eat pests like ticks, mice, and other bugs like there's no tomorrow. Plus, fresh eggs.

[Grant H.]

Time to sound like the hippy of the bunch...

Peppermint Oil does wonders in getting rid of ticks, and other unwanted insects.

It's a little potent to put on the dogs undiluted, but it's not toxic.

[rondog]

Chickens. Free-range chickens will eat pests like ticks, mice, and other bugs like there's no tomorrow. Plus, fresh eggs.

I've heard chickens will eat mice, I'd like to see that! Hell, I'd bring a lawn chair and a cold beer!

[Colorado Osprey]

Chicken are ok, but the real defense on ticks is Guinea Fowl.- plus they are cooler than chickens. They eat 4000 ticks a day!
Ghttp://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/Guineas/SPPAGuineaFowlForTickControl.html

[Bailey Guns]

We've considered chickens and guineas because we've heard they're both voracious tick eaters. Goats, too. They don't eat ticks but they keep the foliage at a manageable level. A guy across the road has both...says he hasn't seen a tick on his property in a long time. Yeah...cause they all moved to my place.

[SuperiorDG]

Chickens. Free-range chickens will eat pests like ticks, mice, and other bugs like there's no tomorrow. Plus, fresh eggs.

I'm wondering how my chickens will do in this department.

[ChunkyMonkey]

GARLIC, it works on any blood suckers - ticks, vampires etc. Garlic powder in water to bath the dogs. I boiled chicken, rice w/ garlic and ginger. Our dogs love it. Once you can smell a hint of garlic on your dogs, ticks will stay away. Good luck

[ChunkyMonkey]

Thanks to the moisture you had this winter, you're going to see a lot more than there is now. Better hop it's a dry hot summer.

The property and clothes, you're on your own. For the family 1 word, GARLIC. After my springtime work on the rez, i was attacked by them critters like it was sadie hawkins day. Come summertime with myself the wiser thanks to the locals, I started adding more garlic to my diet. Two weeks in spring, two in summer after that and Zero tics. I was wondering why some of their dogs were walking tic feeders and others nothing. They showed m garlic tablets both the people and dogs took. I started 1 week before the trip.
They're also available in 2000 mg
https://www.amazon.com/Natures-Bounty-Garlic-Odorless-Softgels/dp/B004JO7BTG/ref=sr_1_4_a_it/138-4234325-6771638?ie=UTF8&qid=1496202010&sr=8-4&keywords=garlic+tablets

Whoops, I didnt read The Great Almighty's response before I posted mine.

[Bailey Guns]

I'm a little hesitant to give my dogs much garlic. Its one of those things that are hard to tell if it's toxic or not because of so many conflicting opinions.

[Great-Kazoo]

I'm a little hesitant to give my dogs much garlic. Its one of those things that are hard to tell if it's toxic or not because of so many conflicting opinions.

1 tablet every other day to start. yes the potential is there for overdosing. BUT.................You rather a chemical over something natural?. The peppermint oil is also helpful, as other non-chemical options. It's the issue of finding what works best for you and the dogs.

[Hummer]

Funny, I've seen only one wood tick this year, at the bottom of the kitchen waste basket--who know's how it got there. I'm out traipsing through the woods and streamside grasses every day, even cutting firewood without picking up a single tick. Maybe it's because I eat a lot of garlic in my foods?

[Aloha_Shooter]

Tablets? WTH takes garlic with tablets? All you need is to dice up fresh garlic and use liberally on your pork or beef dishes (even chicken!), the more the better. Heck, pork spareribs in the smoker with nothing more than chopped garlic, sea salt, and fresh ground pepper ... mmmmm ....

[Great-Kazoo]

Tablets? WTH takes garlic with tablets? All you need is to dice up fresh garlic and use liberally on your pork or beef dishes (even chicken!), the more the better. Heck, pork spareribs in the smoker with nothing more than chopped garlic, sea salt, and fresh ground pepper ... mmmmm ....

He's in idaho. Outside tatoes who knows how their tast buds have mutated.

[esaabye]

Free range chickens can help

[TheGrey]

I've heard chickens will eat mice, I'd like to see that! Hell, I'd bring a lawn chair and a cold beer!

Here you go...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iubf1oJdQQQ

[Grant H.]

Here you go...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iubf1oJdQQQ

The cat, at 1:11, looks at the camera like "mom, they stole MY mouse..."

[Duman]

Diatomaceous earth.

How does diatomaceous earth help manage ticks? Just curious... Not sure where you would find some.

Combined with Kazoo's garlic, all you need now is a wooden stake and you've declared war on vampires.

[BushMasterBoy]

The diatomaceous earth is like micro slivers of broken glass. It kills most insects. Don't use it on flowering plants as it will kill the bees. We get ours at Big R. I put it on the cat, dog, & horses. Like talcum powder on their fur. Make sure you get "food grade".

https://richsoil.com/diatomaceous-earth.jsp

[Gman]

We used diatomaceous earth in our swimming pool filters and bought it in big bags. It wasn't very expensive.

It's easy to find on Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=diatomaceous+earth

[00tec]

How does diatomaceous earth help manage ticks? Just curious... Not sure where you would find some.

Combined with Kazoo's garlic, all you need now is a wooden stake and you've declared war on vampires.

They are bloodsucking vermin.
Wooden stakes would work, but may be a bit inefficient.

[BushMasterBoy]

We used diatomaceous earth in our swimming pool filters and bought it in big bags. It wasn't very expensive.

It's easy to find on Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=diatomaceous+earth

Do NOT use swimming pool filter diatomaceous earth. ONLY USE FOOD GRADE DIATOMACEOUS EARTH. You want the stuff that is like talcum powder. You can even feed it to your horses and it will cut down on the flies.

[Gman]

For the record, most of the stuff in the attached link was "food grade". I think there was only 1 item there for a pool filter.

[rondog]

Here you go...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iubf1oJdQQQ

That's just bizarre!

[Bailey Guns]

Well, I've opened a second, southern front in the war on ticks. My dogs don't get anywhere near tall grasses or weeds and they still pick these little bastards up. I've tried natural treatments and the topical treatments. Still finding the little fuckers. I seem to be finding them in the early life stage because they're often very tiny as you can see.

I know I revived a 3 year old thread but I got tired of talking about all the drama caused by the radical, leftist, bloodsucking parasites. Oh...wait.



https://i.imgur.com/wguSBRi.jpg?1

[Martinjmpr]

Since you're now in OK, have you discovered chiggers yet? My mothers family came from OK (albeit the opposite corner, the NE corner, Osage County) and I remember that after walking through the fields you had to be very careful of chiggers. especially if you're wearing shorts. Nasty little buggers!

[CS1983]

Chiggers are one reason I was so dang glad to get off that 20 acres in OK. Growing up in Florida, I played in the woods all the time. Dawn til Dusk in summer and any day I wasn't in school, I was in the woods. Never had chiggers. Just stay away from the Spanish moss and you're good. So it never occurred to me that OK would be so different. I went into the woods on the property several times before we bought, during initial looking and inspection period. But it was always cold/wet/rainy. First time I went in after we bought, and it wasn't wet, I spent 3 weeks scratching my legs like some sort of mental patient. And I was wearing jeans, boots, etc. when I went in.

After that experience I realized I basically could only use half the property for 4 months a year. Really killed the positive mood of property ownership in Oklahoma.

[Bailey Guns]

Don't have much problem with chiggers or many other bugs here. Mosquitoes can be a problem when it rains a lot. Fleas don't seem too bad. Ticks, tho...

I just found out there's a research cave where some university studies bats not too far from here. About a million come out of the caves every night when they're here and fly out to 120 miles to eat insects. I'm well within their hunting territory and see them frequently. May be why flying bugs aren't too bad.

[CS1983]

I think the chiggers in OK are more in the eastern part, as they're also a problem in Arkansas. Probably too dry where you are for them. We have some friends in Dover and ticks are their problem as well. No chiggers by them.

[Zundfolge]

We just got hit by the chiggers ... poor dog is now covered with scabs where he's scratched himself too hard. Wife and I are also covered in chigger bites. No fun. Be glad to get moved into town where the bugs aren't as bad as they are out here in the country.

[CS1983]

Thank you for reminding me reason #5284 why I'm glad I moved back to CO. lol.

Only thing making me itch here is dry skin.

[theGinsue]

If you can find it, buy sulfur powder. Put it in an old (clean) sock and powder your body, especially ankles and legs with it. It's not 100%, but it cuts down on the chiggers quite effectively.

[Gman]

Yeah, but does it attract the ladies?