# It's tick season once again



## Uncle Albert (May 16, 2022)

Tick season is upon us once again, so I thought I'd start out (my first post here) by sharing some of the techniques I'm using to keep the nasty little buggers off of me.

(Note: I just started using some of the things I'm going to talk about here a couple of days ago so I can't say with any confidence how well they work.

One thing I did notice is that mosquitoes left me alone last night, so I'm seeing that as good sign.

I'll drop by from time to time to let everybody know how well things are working)

A quick list of things you can eat and/or rub on yourself and your clothes and/or stuff in your socks and pockets:

*Food*
Garlic
Any citrus fruit
Cayanne pepper
Apple cider vinegar

*Topical*
Garlic
Orange peel
Eucalyptus leaves
Bounce fabric softener sheets (haven't tried this one yet but if they work I'm going to put some in my sleeping bag too)

*Pocket/sock-stuffers *
Garlic
Citrus rinds
Eucalyptus leaves (not very comfortable)
Fabric softener sheets.

Ticks have been called the dirty syringes of the insect world. They can transmit all kinds of stuff that you don't want like Lyme disease and Rocky mountain spotted fever, so I'm hoping this stuff does the job.

I'll try and post links to confirm some of this when I can.


Anybody else have any tips?


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## AlexKnoch (May 16, 2022)

I just use permethrin on my clothes/tent and that's usually good enough but when they're extra thick, I'll use some deet.


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## Tony G (May 16, 2022)

Uncle Albert said:


> Tick season is upon us once again, so I thought I'd start out (my first post here) by sharing some of the techniques I'm using to keep the nasty little buggers off of me.
> 
> (Note: I just started using some of the things I'm going to talk about here a couple of days ago so I can't say with any confidence how well they work.
> 
> ...


hey thanks for the reminder yeah ticks are some evil things man....oh and i almost forgot watch for chiggers too


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## Uncle Albert (May 16, 2022)

I've been squatting in a eucalyptus Grove for most of the last 12 years so ticks haven't been a problem (I've only seen one or two in that whole time. Ticks don't like eucalyptus) but now I'm back on the road, and my first morning away from the eucalyptus Grove woke up with one of those little suckers dug so deep into my shoulder that at first I thought it was a blood blister, that is until it sprouted a couple of little black riggly legs.

Found another one on my back the next day. Luckily that one hadn't had time to latch on yet.

So tick prevention is at the top of my to-do list this week.


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## Tony G (May 16, 2022)

Uncle Albert said:


> I've been squatting in a eucalyptus Grove for most of the last 12 years so ticks haven't been a problem (I've only seen one or two in that whole time. Ticks don't like eucalyptus) but now I'm back on the road, and my first morning away from the eucalyptus Grove woke up with one of those little suckers dug so deep into my shoulder that at first I thought it was a blood blister, that is until it sprouted a couple of little black riggly legs.
> 
> Found another one on my back the next day. Luckily that one hadn't had time to latch on yet.
> 
> So tick prevention is at the top of my to-do list this week.


man eucalyptus smells so good and its thick nice spot to post up at


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## Uncle Albert (May 16, 2022)

Well, it's evening here and I usually get swarmed by gnats this time of day, but they seem to be leaving me alone too.



Tony G said:


> man eucalyptus smells so good and its thick nice spot to post up at



Lots of bark to make a shelter or windbreak out of two.


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## Eng JR Lupo RV323 (May 16, 2022)

Hey welcome to Squat the Planet, @Uncle Albert! 

Not entirely helpful to this post itself but I just wanted to throw in a random fun fact since we're talking about ticks. Have you guys ever noticed on the west coast you never seem to meet people with lyme disease? It isn't something that anyone really even talks about on the west coast. Like as if lyme disease is non-existent here. If you actually look at a map of lyme disease outbreaks it's all pretty much upper east coast and great lakes areas. It almost appears as though something is holding it back from spreading west. Introducing Sceloporus Occidentalis AKA The Western Fence Lizard. These dope ass lizards have something in their blood that cleanses ticks of lyme disease. The lizard is only found in the western states. That's why we don't really have to worry about lyme disease on the west coast. Just a random fun fact/appreciation post to our lizard friends.


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## Uncle Albert (May 17, 2022)

Eng JR Lupo RV323 said:


> Hey welcome to Squat the Planet, @Uncle Albert!
> 
> Not entirely helpful to this post itself but I just wanted to throw in a random fun fact since we're talking about ticks. Have you guys ever noticed on the west coast you never seem to meet people with lyme disease? It isn't something that anyone really even talks about on the west coast. Like as if lyme disease is non-existent here. If you actually look at a map of lyme disease outbreaks it's all pretty much upper east coast and great lakes areas. It almost appears as though something is holding it back from spreading west. Introducing Sceloporus Occidentalis AKA The Western Fence Lizard. These dope ass lizards have something in their blood that cleanses ticks of lyme disease. The lizard is only found in the western states. That's why we don't really have to worry about lyme disease on the west coast. Just a random fun fact/appreciation post to our lizard friends.


Thanks for the info and the welcome, @Eng JR Lupo RV323 .

I had no idea about any of that. Good to know Lyme disease isn't much of a problem out here in Cali.
That's a crazy fact about the lizards, and also good news, they're all over the place where I'm at
As a matter of fact I had one sitting on my shoe for a while today while I was sitting in the sun. He scrurried off before I could get a picture though.


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## Uncle Albert (May 18, 2022)

Uncle Albert said:


> Tick season is upon us once again, so I thought I'd start out (my first post here) by sharing some of the techniques I'm using to keep the nasty little buggers off of me.
> 
> (Note: I just started using some of the things I'm going to talk about here a couple of days ago so I can't say with any confidence how well they work.
> 
> ...



Day 2: the mosquitoes and gnats are still leaving me alone so looks like all this stuff really does work against insects.


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## roguetrader (May 19, 2022)

fancy sending a few of these Western Fence Lizards via international post @Eng JR Lupo RV323 ? Lyme Disease has been on the increase in my part of the world... my friend Henry contracted it from a deer tick and boy did it fuck him up - the symptoms are still ongoing several years later.....

and @Uncle Albert is Albert your actual 'government name' ? I'm only asking coz I wasn't actually christened @roguetrader - I am (you guessed it) an Albert myself - there aren't many of us left outside zoos and mental hospitals, so pleased to meet you my good man....


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## Uncle Albert (May 19, 2022)

roguetrader said:


> fancy sending a few of these Western Fence Lizards via international post @Eng JR Lupo RV323 ? Lyme Disease has been on the increase in my part of the world... my friend Henry contracted it from a deer tick and boy did it fuck him up - the symptoms are still ongoing several years later.....
> 
> and @Uncle Albert is Albert your actual 'government name' ? I'm only asking coz I wasn't actually christened @roguetrader - I am (you guessed it) an Albert myself - there aren't many of us left outside zoos and mental hospitals, so pleased to meet you my good man....


Nah, my name's Rick. I mainly chose Uncle Albert because it's easy to remember.


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## Uncle Albert (May 19, 2022)

Day 3:

Same thing: no more ticks and the mosquitoes and gnats are still leaving me alone.


I've been eating a lot of raw garlic, and drinking a concoction of lemonade and cayenne pepper.

I'm also taking a dose of apple cider vinegar three times a day.

I also picked up a couple of packs of bounce dryer sheets yesterday. Some pretty reputable institutions have actually done studies on their effectiveness and they've all been positive, so I'm stuffing them in my socks and keeping a couple of them in my sleeping bag.


I went to the doctor 2 days ago and it turns out neither one of the tick bites are infected, she gave me a prescription for antibiotics anyway just to be on the safe side.

I'm really happy with the results so far: even if I'm going a little overboard on the tick prevention, the fact that I haven't had to deal with mosquitoes and gnats makes it more than worth it (although while I'm writing this a gnat landed on my leg. . Still, they aren't swarming me like they usually do)


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## roguetrader (May 20, 2022)

I'll have to try some of these tips out and see if any of them repel horseflies - I work outside year round and in the summer said horse flies bother me much more than anyone else...


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## Anthorhitchhiker77 (May 23, 2022)

I've heard puting fabric softeners in you socks helps

I grew up on the east coast and have dealt with a lot of ticks and have talked to forest rangers about how to deal with ticks and it boils down to 
Prevention and DAILY CHECKING

Prevention 

1 wearing proper clothes
ticks see in thermal so hide as much bare skin as possible
I recommend long sleeves, gloves,big jeans,belt, and long socks 
For best results tighten belt wear gloves tight with sleeves tucked in gloves and tuck jeans in sock 

RANDOM BONUS FACTOR 🤯
Big jeans also help a bit with jaggers and I mean bigger waist and they go down to cover the laces of your boots
Them being loose gives space in-between your leg and jaggers

I barely wear all this unless I'm clearing alot of brush or making a long path

2 understand the enemy

ticks will hibernate under leaves in pine needle needs and anywhere insulated so be mindful where you sleep cause your warm body could wake a hibernating tick wake up so clear the brush

Ticks hunt mainly on paths on the edge of grass or other brush so Avoid rubing brush as much as you can when walking through woods but it's the woods so good luck 😂
The worst trails are foot trails with brush on both sides 



Daily checking is very important you are going to get ticks regardless so start from the feet up I notice more ticks behind my knee ,armpits and neck area so make sure to look at every angle and if you don't have a mirror you can use ur hand to feel 
I know this section is small but seriously check every 24hours because you will get a tick regardless of how much prevention you do and it's a good practice any ways

I hope this helps


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## Uncle Albert (May 23, 2022)

Anthorhitchhiker77 said:


> I've heard puting fabric softeners in you socks helps
> 
> I grew up on the east coast and have dealt with a lot of ticks and have talked to forest rangers about how to deal with ticks and it boils down to
> Prevention and DAILY CHECKING
> ...


Thanks for the tips, @Anthorhitchhiker77 

Going to try the idea with the mirror. So far I've been trying to use my phone to take pictures of the places on myself I couldn't see, but I'm guessing a mirror would be a lot
easier.


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## Uncle Albert (May 23, 2022)

Day 7. I haven't been bitten by one mosquito since I started doing all this. I did however gets swarmed by gnats a couple of nights ago. It was brief and they went away as soon as I doubled up on the garlic.

So far no more ticks, but I'm getting into country with a lot more brush now so we'll see.


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## Rikenasty (Yesterday at 5:49 AM)

Eng JR Lupo RV323 said:


> Hey welcome to Squat the Planet, @Uncle Albert!
> 
> Not entirely helpful to this post itself but I just wanted to throw in a random fun fact since we're talking about ticks. Have you guys ever noticed on the west coast you never seem to meet people with lyme disease? It isn't something that anyone really even talks about on the west coast. Like as if lyme disease is non-existent here. If you actually look at a map of lyme disease outbreaks it's all pretty much upper east coast and great lakes areas. It almost appears as though something is holding it back from spreading west. Introducing Sceloporus Occidentalis AKA The Western Fence Lizard. These dope ass lizards have something in their blood that cleanses ticks of lyme disease. The lizard is only found in the western states. That's why we don't really have to worry about lyme disease on the west coast. Just a random fun fact/appreciation post to our lizard friends.



that's so cool (legit, no sarcasm). I'm bringing lizards with me this summer.


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## The Toecutter (Today at 10:36 AM)

Wouldn't it be awesome if there existed giant eldritch deer ticks that were the size of a pully grown pig, but then when they fed off of enough prey items they could swell up to the size of a cargo van?


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