Have you ever had problems with ...

[Wayne S. 14]

Have you ever had problems with ticks? MY wife and I went over to clean the exterior and porch's and sidewalk of a house last week, and was eaten alive by ticks! At first we thought it was flea bites, (had dogs and itched really bad) but, my wife found seven ticks on her, smaller than a pin head. I found no ticks on me, but, I have around 50 to 60 bites on me, as does my wife. Most of the bites was around the ankle and top of feet. Then they moved up from there to our upper chest and back. The bites like to drove both of us nuts for about 4 days, finally starting to ease off.

They are talking about us doing their house twice a year, since its real dusty. I will definitely need to find something to repel ticks before we do their house again!

[RPetry 564]

Wayne,

Careful and watch out for a "bullseye" mark around any tick bites. From the small size, sounds like deer ticks which are potential disease carriers.

Don't know if it has reached as far south as Tenn., but here in the northeast Lyme's Disease is a real problem. I contacted it years ago, probably from running my Springer in the woods behind the house.

Very difficult to diagnose at that time and suffered for about 6 weeks. Not fun.

Long pants and high boots might be in order.

[Lightning Gene 66]

Have you ever had problems with ticks? MY wife and I went over to clean the exterior and porch's and sidewalk of a house last week, and was eaten alive by ticks! At first we thought it was flea bites, (had dogs and itched really bad) but, my wife found seven ticks on her, smaller than a pin head. I found no ticks on me, but, I have around 50 to 60 bites on me, as does my wife. Most of the bites was around the ankle and top of feet. Then they moved up from there to our upper chest and back. The bites like to drove both of us nuts for about 4 days, finally starting to ease off.

They are talking about us doing their house twice a year, since its real dusty. I will definitely need to find something to repel ticks before we do their house again!

Are you sure it was not chiggers? Tick will latch on and not move around but chiggers will attack your whole body....

[Rick2 42]

Be real careful. My brother had a tick a few years back while training with his dog (K9 policeman). Got the "bullseye" mark then had trouble with the left side of his body. Couldn't talk right, close his eye, etc. Made a full recovery but it wasn't very pretty.

Eric

[Jimmy M 14]

sounds like chiggers to me also. as kids we would go and pick blackberries in the summer and get eat up with them.The oldtimers said to tie strips of cloth soaked in kerosine around ankles and the would not go past. heard dale earnhardt mention this in interveiw once.

[charlie 14]

I think off with deet in it might help. I would suggest that the homeowner get his lawn treated before you do the job again.

[StainlessDeal 16]

Are you sure it was not chiggers? Tick will latch on and not move around but chiggers will attack your whole body....

My experience with chiggers is that they are bright red, about the size you mentioned, and can be smashed into a pulp just by rolling your finger over them. Deerticks are about the size mentioned but mostly brown, and hard to crush. (when engorged, they are purplish and look like a blood-blister while attached.)

Here is some info I have found helpful in dealing with ticks in my dog-training season. (right now)

I hope it is helpful.

We recommend tucking pant cuffs into calf-high cotton tube socks treated with permethrin. Even if you are wearing shorts, permethrin-treated shoes and socks will still be protective. There are new treatment kits in the marketplace that allow you to impregnate permethrin into your clothing, which will provide good protection. DEET is just not a very good clothing repellent against ticks–for the best protection when venturing into tick habitat, use DEET repellents on your skin in addition to wearing permethrin-treated clothing.

Tick Encounter Resource Center

University of Rhode Island

http://www.tickencounter.org

Permethrin: Several products contain 0.5% permethrin (e.g. Duranon Tick Repellent, Repel Permanone, Cutter Outdoorsman Gear Guard, Permethrin Tick Repellent), which is for use only on clothing or other fabrics such as mosquito netting or tents. A synthetic pyrethroid insecticide rather than a true repellent, permethrin works primarily by killing ticks on contact with the clothes and can provide high levels of protection against tick bites (and mosquitoes). Permethrin is available as a 0.5% aerosol spray, mainly in lawn and garden centers or sports stores. Permethrin has low mammalian toxicity, is poorly absorbed through the skin and is rapidly inactivated by the body. Skin reactions have been uncommon.

Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station

Kirby C. Stafford III, Ph.D.

http://www.dph.state.ct.us/BCH/infectiousdise/tickborne/tick.htm

[charlie 14]

If you spray your clothing with any kind of chemicals always wash them seperatly.

Good info Scott.

I still suggest have the homeowner get the lawn sprayed before you do the job again.