Ticks

I read a tip in this months "Mother Earth News" from a reader who said an Ozark Ol` timer told him to drink buttermilk to prevent ticks from biting. He said a quart a day, which is more than I can drink, but I'm going to start drinking some to see if it works. I'll let you know.

Bill

that is pretty interesting the deer and moose population is going thru a heavy infestation for the last few years, there have been a number of times that i have returned home with a tick on me. this does not make me happy would like to have any other tick tricks out there.

I'm picturing two ozark old timers with a little brown jug in a small cabin laughing till they're fit to be tied and one of them saying "And So I told them to drink a quart of buttermilk a day!!!!"

All that buttermilk, (or really any for that matter), would tear my stomach up. I'd rather have a tick or two on me than the after effects from lactose intolerance.


Tom

I'm laughing too Phat <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> never heard such a tall tale related to ticks. I'll have to hurry up and get into the buttermilk business <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" /> A few Jersey cows and I'll be all set for the hoards of scared city folk out for dayhikes <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />

I get on average 10 DEER ticks a day on me when outside doing normal activities. Yeah the kind that carry Lyme Disease <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" /> But, so far none of them have bitten me long enough to cause any issues according to my regular blood tests <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" /> They are a pita to see as they REALLY are the size of the tip of a pencil <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" /> But in the shower you can readily scrap them off with an old credit card or luffa sponge. By running your hands over the backs of your legs, especially behind your knees, you'll find the culprits readily <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />

Mostly the in and out farm cats have them on them, but they stay on the cats unless I de-tick them during borrowing tv commercials <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />

Funny, I have'nt noticed any large brown dog type ticks these past 2 years <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" /> they are the bigger easier to see kind, that put the fear of God into folks out in the West due to RMSF and such <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" />

A good bath cures ticks, everything else is snake oil IMO <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />

Soak clothing in permethrin solution. Apply bug repellent containing picaridin or DEET to exposed skin. Other hikers are complaining that it's one of the worst tick infestations they've seen, but I go off-trail, wander through brush, and have yet (knock on wood) to pull a tick off my clothes or skin.

BTW, I found out recently that you don't have to soak your clothes in permethrin solution (never get to use all the solution that way). Spray it right on the fabric until saturated and then let it dry.

Yuck! A quart a day? If the ticks don't get you, you cardiac care unit will.

Another bit of skeeter/tick lore from this part of the country is...a jalapeno with each meal.....some Texican's swear by it. I eat my share (we don't have ticks much here) but notice no effect other than the skeeters bringing little packs of re-fried beans and tostadas to enjoy with the 'pepper sauce'.

Tick trick....go to the feed store and buy some sulfur powder. Put a table spoon full in a sock as a 'duster'. Lightly dust exposed skin, waist band, cuffs, etc. You shall get no ticks thereafter. Mom used to keep a duster by the back door when we kids played on the farm (lots of ticks!). Easier, cheaper, and safer than spray. You'll smell slightly like a 'black powder' shooter, but what the heck....make up a good story! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

phat, I hit the floor laughing when I read that <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

But while I was rolling around on the carpet the two dozen tick bites I have on me started itching again so I went and drank another cup of buttermilk <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

I've heard of dusting with sulfur, tying a kerosene soaked rag around your ankles and eating garlic. I've tried the garlic and can tell you the ticks didn't mind a garlicy me.

I don't like deet. Citronella works, but it's oily and smelly. permethrin is scary. Right now I use a 15% Picaridin spray on my skin. No smell, no oily residue, last about 4-6 hours. But I use it only when I'm out in the thick of tick country for long periods.

I grew up in the Dairy Belt, we drank Buttermilk instead of Kool-Aid when we were kids. (Hey, maybe that's why I never got bit by ticks back then <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Bill

Oil of lemon Eucalyptus (in Repel brand spray) is supposed to repel ticks effectively. Would be worth a try if you don't like permethrin.

lol, good luck and don't feel sick.

12step, it's probably the lactose intolerance that makes the buttermilk work on ticks <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

My former uncle Gene was the family outdoorsman, <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> big game hunter etc. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" /> Anyway he used to sulphur dust his socks and pants and swore by it, course he would swear at anthing... <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

As for me, I'm an Ogre, I'm not afraid of anything. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />
Jim <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

I'll stick to DEET. I would rather pass on from the effects of chemicals than drink that spoiled tasting glop. I think it's good for cooking eg. buttermilk pancakes and biscuits but............................

I think I can hear the deliverence banjos playing in the distance.

Hey chaz, I almost never get asked to "Squeal like a pig" anymore. Times are changing <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

What happened Bill?, ya' get older and had 'em both drop and then they don't want ya' no more <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

those fellas don't scare me none...uh, huh.... <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />

My sweet wife told me I have the "Buns of a teenager" yesterday. Of course, it's been a long time since she's actually seen any, and her eyes aren't as good as they used to be, and she had a couple cocktails, but (no pun intended)... I'll take those compliments however they come <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Bill

Haven't tried any of the home remedies you mention but I have tried spraying clothing with permethrin. It works great! The ticks ARE really bad here in Missouri this year and it's interesting to see all the dead ticks in your socks at the end of a day of hiking if you've treated them with permethrin.

For those who don't know permethrin is an insecticide. You spray it on your socks, trousers, etc (not your skin!) and let them dry for a few hours before putting them on. I do it at home a day or two before I go hiking. Once it's dry it can't absorb through your skin but it still kills bugs, something like what happens when the exterminator sprays your house or office. Then when ticks try climbing up your clothes to get to your skin they absorb the stuff (even though it is dry) and they die.

I don't think deet should even claim that it works on ticks. It may have some mild effect on ticks but I haven't had good luck with it. For mosquitoes it's great but not for ticks. That's a bummer too because even if you treat your clothes with permethrin your bare skin is vulnerable if a tick can get directly to it (like if you are wearing shorts).

Dont fear a tick getting on you. they are easy to remove the day they get on you. use a credit card or loofa sponge in your shower. Run your hands down the backs of your legs to feel for them where you can't see. I'm familiar with spraying clothes with pemerthrin, but it's only cost effective for occassional use. It can last 2 weeks on clothes that dont become overly soiled a field IME.

Earthling, just out of curiosity, have you ever tried dabbing a tick bite with honey?

For the first time, I used honey the other day instead of "Neosporin" on a small cut that was infected. I found it to be as or more effective. I was amazed.

A day or two later I dabbed some on a tick bite. I haven't tried this enough times to know if it promotes faster healing or reduces itching, but I'd be surprised if it did not. I'm sure I'll get lots more chances to try it this year <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

I figured you've probably already accumulated some data on this experiment <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Another thing to note is vitamins. I take vitamin C as well as some other stuff * everyday. I can tell you that before I started doing this tick and chigger bites itched much more severe and took much longer to heal. Even if you never take vitamins, taking them right after getting bit up will help reduce itching and promote faster healing. Anyway, that's IME.

Bill

* My wife makes me take "Source of Life" and "Emergen-C" everyday. She claims it also reduces grumpiness <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Permethrin results have been mixed for me in the last month in Missouri/Illinois. I have found a couple dead ticks loose in my socks, but also found two dead ticks attached to me. Last weekend I found two live ticks attached, although they might have been dead if I hadn't found them as soon as I did. So it does work, but not quite as well as I wanted it to.

Cost effective? I got my permethrin as a pint of 10% solution for $9. I cut it 10:1 with water for a 1% solution and then spray it on the clothes. This seems to be good for several washings over a few weeks. When I soak the clothes and let them dry, it lasts at least a month. It takes about 4 oz of solution to soak the clothes, so I get 40 applications for my $9. That's 40 months of protection - I'd call that cheap bug juice. (Note that you CAN wash the garments without removing the permethrin. This might be a good idea if you're concerned about residual free insecticide.)

I understand that the army soaks their uniforms in 15% permethrin and that's supposed to provide up to 6 months of protection. But then this is the same military that said Agent Orange was OK to spray on our own troops, or that still maintains there is no health risk to depleted uranium ordnance.

One caveat for permethrin is that you should probably avoid DEET . Evidently some of the doctors researching Gulf Syndrome claim ...in test animals, specifically that they tend to avoid open spaces, a condition called thigmotaxis. I haven't found anything on interactions between picaridin and permethrin.

Hmm...something just occurred to me...some friends that just came back from a tour of duty in Iraq...they are all wall-flowers now. I just attributed that to their need for "situational awareness".

One more thing: If you still decide to use DEET, don't let Fido lick you. Dogs and cats are easily poisoned by DEET.

Does it work because of something in the buttermilk - or becasue you will covered in your own vomit?

To be honest I still don't know. I just haven't drank enough to either repel ticks or puke on them. This is a tough one to follow up on.

I will say this, those little seed ticks are thick as thieves this year. Every time I walk outside I get at least a couple of them hooking on to me.