pulled out my first tick of the season yesterday! from the back of my leg the morning aftre a short walk by crummock water, wearing long trousers! it had obviously been in bed with me ......yuk.always check everywhere folks.
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 How Big are these Ticks karen? I had an overnight bivy last week in woodland near Skiddaw & the only precaution i took was tucking my pants into my socks! No ticks thankfully.
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 Ticks around the world can vary in size from the really tiny, smaller than a pinhead, to the rather more huge ones, about the size of a fingernail or a little bigger. The ones you will find outdoors most often in the UK are of the smaller varieties luckily - from just above the pin head sized to the slightly smaller, Ades.Of course as they fill up with your blood during a feed they do get bigger - ballooning out in size with your blood! Hope this is maybe helpful to you! Not that my name's Karen at all, but I just happened to be here - as I couldn't sleep in the warmer weather last night you see! I always take a little time to adjust as the seasonal weather changes, y'know! A hint at basic tick sizes.
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| Edited: 11/05/08 07:39 |
http://www.idph.state.il.us/envhealth/tickkey.htmOnce you get into the backcountry USA the ticks do get much bigger in places though, considerably so in some areas! In South America, where they seem always to be discovering new bugs, at a constantly alarming rate for me, they can get bigger still, about to half the length of ones middle finger - which I always like to flick them!
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oo err Trevor thanks for the info,im glad i just bought some tick tweezers from lifeventure just in case,what if you are solo camping/walking & you notice one somewhere through an angled mirror that cant be reached,is it ok to ask a neighbouring camper or passing walker to do the honours! I cant sleep cos im excited about going to Scotland tomorrow
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Californian Ticks - most frightening! Good luck with the Scottish trip there, Ades! Far too many dread midges up there surely, for you to be worried by the deer and other ticks, I should co co!
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I have my headnet,long sleeved base layer tops & 2 types of repellent & hoping i can buy some Avon so soft when im up there,if the midges could read this they would probably be laughing their heads off saying to each other 'that wont save you mate'
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 I've seen more ticks in the last 2 years than in the previous 20 so perhaps there is some truth to the theory that numbers are on the rise (whether or not linked to global warming) the only precaution I normally take is to avoid long grass.........
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the only precaution I normally take is to avoid long grass......... - Wrote ID. You mean 'smoking it' there then maybe, ID?
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What about the Citronella candles then guys? I've heard only good things of them used for deterrent effect, for mozzies and midges too, in both candle lanterns and stand alone use outside the tent as well! When I have used this method though, I have to admit that it was with the thicker candle lantern type and bigger style candles - and was only used to 'back up' the Deet, and the mosi headnet etc. too!
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| Edited: 11/05/08 11:37 |
I have my headnet,long sleeved base layer tops & 2 types of repellent & hoping i can buy some Avon so soft when im up there,if the midges could read this they would probably be laughing their heads off saying to each other 'that wont save you mate' -Wrote Ades. LOL, mate! You may well have indeed just given us all a really good insight into a real 'mind-reading of the midges' I think there, very much so!
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| Edited: 11/05/08 11:35 |
thanks for answering the q trevor. the ones i find on me are always tiny cos i check regularly and thoroughly. it would be too much to find one that had already feasted! the one i pulled out the other day was just a nymph i think cos it had a bit of a red colour. i've still got a red mark on my leg where it's anaesthetic was squeezed in. as the heading at the top suggests, its just v. important to be aware, and yes i too think they are much more numerous these days. i used to walk all the time in shorts, through long grass, heather etc with no signs of the blighters.
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