With these tips, wood ticks won’t haunt your next outdoor adventure

by Russ Lowthian, HaveFunBiking.com

Unless you enter the annual Woodtick Races in Cuyuna, MN,  on June 13th, these bloodthirsty wood ticks are annoying and could be hazardous to your health. Especially if you are biking or hiking on trails through the woods or in tall grass. Always take note as you enjoy your outdoor adventures. These little critters, especially deer ticks, can be nasty and cause health issues. Like the wood tick, the deer tick also lurks in any natural wilderness setting. However, they are as small as a freckle, have tiny black legs, and may carry disease-causing pathogens, including Lyme Disease.

The chances of getting a deer or a wood tick in a city park or on a paved bicycle trail are very low. Especially on paths with the grass mowed along the edges. Generally, these blood-sucking critters are only a problem if you are off the trail, biking or walking through tall grass and brushy wooded areas. Ticks tend to crawl up on vegetation, tall grass, and wood and wait to grab onto a passing animal or human.

Once attached to people or pets, deer ticks can be hard to find. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), their numbers are rising, and they carry harmful pathogens. Thanks to the CDC’s website, there are several things everyone should know about ticks to stay disease-free.

Wood Tick Bite Prevention

Before You Go Outdoors

• Know where to expect ticks. Ticks live in grassy, brushy, wooded areas or even on animals. Spending time outside walking your dog, biking, camping, or hiking could bring you into close contact with ticks. Many people get ticks in their yards or neighborhoods, in rain gardens, and in natural areas
• Treat clothing and gear with products containing 0.5% permethrin. Permethrin can be used to treat boots, clothing, and camping gear, and remains protective through several cleanings
• Use Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-registered insect repellents containing DEET, picaridin, IR3535, Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus (OLE), para-menthane-diol (PMD), or 2-undecanoate. EPA’s helpful search tool can help you find the product that best suits your needs. Always follow product instructions
• Another option is the Tickless Active we are testing. This rechargeable device emits a series of ultrasonic pulses undetectable to people, pets, or wildlife but interferes with the ability of ticks and fleas to orient themselves
• Do not use insect repellent on babies younger than two months old
• Do not use products containing OLE or PMD on children under three years old
• Avoid contact with ticks, especially in wooded or brushy areas with high grass and leaf litter
• Ride and walk in the center of the off-road trail.

Here’s how with a simple homemade solution!

Repellent for your pets:

For pets, add 1 cup of water to a spray bottle, followed by 2 cups of distilled white vinegar. Ticks hate the smell and taste of vinegar, and will be easily be repelled by this ingredient alone. Then add two spoonfuls of vegetable or almond oil, both of which contain sulfur (another natural tick repellent).

To make a repellent that will also deter fleas, mix in a few spoonfuls of lemon juice, citrus oil, or peppermint oil, any of which will repel ticks and fleas while also creating a nicely scented repellent. Spray onto the pet’s dry coat, staying away from sensitive areas, including eyes, nose, mouth, and genitals. When outdoors for an extended period, spray this solution on two to three times per day.

For you and your family:

In a spray bottle, mix 2 cups of distilled white vinegar and 1 cup of water. To make a scented solution so you do not smell like bitter vinegar all day, add 20 drops of your favorite essential oil.

Eucalyptus oil has a calm, soothing scent and works as a tick repellent, while peppermint and citrus oils give off a strong, crisp scent that also repels ticks.

After mixing the solution, spray it onto clothing, skin, and hair before going outdoors. Reapply every four hours to keep ticks at bay, and examine your skin and hair when back inside to make sure no ticks are on your body.

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After You Come Indoors

• When out in the wilderness, check your clothing and gear for ticks. If not careful, they may be carried into the house, your car, or on clothing and gear. Any ticks that are found should be removed. At home, tumble-dry clothes on high heat for 10 minutes to kill ticks on dry clothing after you come indoors. If the clothes are damp, they may need additional drying time. If the clothes need to be washed first, hot water is recommended. Cold and medium-temperature water will not kill ticks
• Examine gear and pets. Ticks can ride into the home on clothing and pets, then attach to a person later, so carefully examine pets, coats, hydration saddle packs
• Shower soon after being outdoors. Showering within two hours of coming indoors has been shown to reduce your risk of getting Lyme disease and may effectively reduce the risk of other tickborne diseases. Showering may help wash off unattached ticks, and it is an excellent opportunity to do a tick check
• Check your body for ticks after being outdoors. Conduct a full-body assessment upon returning from potentially tick-infested areas, including your backyard. Use a hand-held or full-length mirror to view all parts of your body. If you are comfortable, another set of eyes to check is a good idea. Check these parts of your body and your child’s body for ticks:
• Under the arms
• In and around the ears
• Inside the belly button
• Back of the knees
• In and around the hair
• Between the legs
• Around the waist

Now that you know more about these vampire-like blood-sucking parasites and how to avoid them, plan your #NextOutdoorAdventure and have some fun!