Tick Myths

[Wildfisher]

North America, but a tick is a tick

[Fishtales]

George and I use the Lifesystems Clothing Treatment spray on boots, trousers and gaiters before we go. Does it work? Well we don't get Ticks and George used to be a magnet for them before we started using it a number of years ago.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lifesystems-Anti-Mosquito-Clothing-Treatment/dp/B002WN1S5Y/ref=sr_1_15?adgrpid=75521376168&hvadid=593030479586&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=1007312&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=2063135212764781740&hvtargid=kwd-425443237172&hydadcr=5942_2308018&keywords=pyrethrum+clothing+spray&qid=1686824257&sr=8-15

[Wildfisher]

What clothing do you treat Sandy?

[Fishtales]

Our trousers are Craghoppers. We also do our rucksacks as they are lying about the heather at times. George also has a Craghopper Noslife shirt that he wears which has a deterrent already built into it.

[superscot]

Used Lifesystems insect repelant for many years and comes in differant strengths and has never ever let us down.

[arawa]

I don't know what has changed but as children we were always getting ticks from being in bracken and heather with no ill effects.
But I have a good friend who, despite being very careful to avoid ticks, is suffering badly from the effects of Lymes - and he is unlikely fully to recover. A local doctor has had to give up work for the same reason and another acquaintance is considering doing the same because she has no energy or drive after Lymes.
Despite no exposed limbs and covering myself with repellant I picked up several ticks last year fortunately with no Lymes. Nothing so far this year but I have not been out that much.

[Wildfisher]

EU rules on sheep dipping are often blamed for the explosion in ticks. Back in the 80s my wife told me stories of serious tick-borne infections in Austria when even Lymes was next to unknown here. Lax quarantine rules and freedom of movement of people and animals will not have helped. Look how quickly Covid spread.

[Fishtales]

There is a new one spreading up from the continent and now in England. It has been slowly spreading across Europe for a number of years. I remember reading about it a few years ago.

Encephalitis Virus (TBEV)

https://ukhsa.blog.gov.uk/2022/04/13/what-is-lyme-disease-and-why-do-we-need-to-be-tick-aware/

[arawa]

EU rules on sheep dipping are often blamed for the explosion in ticks. Back in the 80s my wife told me stories of serious tick-borne infections in Austria when even Lymes was next to unknown here. Lax quarantine rules and freedom of movement of people and animals will not have helped. Look how quickly Covid spread.

Where I tend to go (and pick up ticks) there are few or no sheep. And while there used to be lots of deer they are now largely eradicated in favour of trees. So until I come along I have no idea what is hosting the ticks 

[Wildfisher]

I think any warm blooded animal can host them