Obligatory first tick(s) of the season post

It’s official, yesterday was the Perfect Duluth Day. The ticks are out today. I plucked off my first one at 4:35 p.m. and the second at 4:37 p.m.

And yes, I do post on PDD about ticks pretty much every  spring. It’s what I do.

June 8, 2008
May 11, 2007
June 6, 2005

20 Comments

MJH

about 15 years ago

All of your loyal followers are dying to know what body parts were infested with your tiny little livestock!

Paul Lundgren

about 15 years ago

Right thigh, left sock.

Nick

about 15 years ago

I got my first on may 3rd. It seemed a bit early for ticks.

huitz

about 15 years ago

Where were you located?  I've spent several years as a kid roaming the Duluth area (brush, grass, etc.) and never had a single tick.  And then I was covered with them (about 6) south of Duluth at the same age.  Those things creep me out, especially after that "House" episode.

Paul Lundgren

about 15 years ago

I picked today's ticks up somewhere between Kingsbury Creek and Spirit Mountain.

Roger

about 15 years ago

I picked one up from the Hawk Ridge area on the 6th. A neighbor spotted it on my jeans and became visibly excited at the opportunity to carry out his first execution of the season. 

I went for an evening hike last night in the same area and did not pick up any ticks. This leaves me wondering whether they work 24/7 or take a break at night...

Zra

about 15 years ago

As the climate up here becomes warmer, critters will follow. Ten years ago, the cities were considered an extremely hot area for deer ticks and Lyme disease. according to my doctor at the time of my Lyme disease diagnosis 5 years or so ago, there were perhaps a half dozen cases that originated north of the ports, mine being one of the first reported from the SHT around the gooseberry and split rock areas. I've seen a couple of CDC stars that suggest the number of Lyme cases have increased significantly since then.  

In short, be diligent about checking yourself out after a good hike.

huitz

about 15 years ago

The wikipedia article on ticks (no link, look it up yourself) mentioned ticks work mostly on trails.  Makes sense, considering the blood fodder available.  I spent most of my childhood roaming off-trail, so that explains the lack of tick-attacks a little bit.

Zra's right; just check yourself after hitting the woods, campgrounds, etc.   Don't be afraid, though.  A small number of cases against the population size of the US makes it about as likely to get bit by a deer tick as it is to be bitten by a shark if you're a surfer in Aussie land (this is where wikipedia would put a "citation needed").  Possibly, even less so.

I won't say that after I get one.

edgeways

about 15 years ago

that may be true huitz, but I can say for certainty that the spot I've gotten the most ticks from was bushwacking an emergency campsite on Kabatogama, pretty far from regular human activity, 12 in one evening. Between that and the particularly nasty mosquitoes it was a veritable blood fest.

Sherman

about 15 years ago

Edgeways,
You seem to be assuming that ticks only attach themselves to humans.  This is far from the case.  Ticks are not that picky.  Many of the "trails" the ticks are on are not human trails but deer or other animal trails.  Plus, 12 ticks is nothing, I had at least 50 on me a couple of years ago while taking a walk through Jay Cooke State Park.

woodtick

about 15 years ago

I worked in the summer of '89 for the Metro Mosquito Control Div in Mpls.  Wood ticks are out (up here) from April through November, essentially.  They live ~ 2 years and only really need to 'feed' once a year.  Just remember, woodticks are fairly harmless. Thye deer tick - the smaller tick with a deep smokey orange body and a dark head and 'neck' are the badasses.  Pulled one off my dog 3.5 weeks ago.  She is fine.  

I would recommend a 1) thorough visual once over of the bod, and 2) stay out of long tall leafy grassy areas.  Woods are ok - grassy 'open' areas harbor them more so than 'woods'.  

For what it's worth...

The Big E

about 15 years ago

The NMTC Bull Run off Hwy 23 is notorious for tick attacks.  I had 4 or 5 crawling on me at various points before and after the race, but chased them away before they could clamp onto me--I was pessimistic enough that I put a pair of tweezers in the car when I headed out.

huitz

about 15 years ago

Not to beat a horse to death, but does anyone know if deet-based spray applications to the ankle is effective?  Haven't tried, but heard it was so.

woodtick

about 15 years ago

Huitz - no, deet-based applications do not work for ticks.  Wear long pants and tuck them into your socks; both stylish and functional!  To a point...

huitz

about 15 years ago

woodtick - that's how to stay the flies.  There's a small amount of deet in "Off".  Just wondering if I should even touch the stuff.

zra

about 15 years ago

don't bother, huitz...doesn't do much good against ticks.

Paul Lundgren

about 15 years ago

After a walk on Wisconsin Point yesterday, I accumulated zero ticks, but the girlfriend and the dog collected at least a dozen between them.

One more tick showed up on the bed this morning, the sneaky little bastard.

Paul Lundgren

about 15 years ago

An hour on the Superior Hiking Trail in West Duluth today: Nine ticks.

An hour at Bagley Nature Area on Monday: Zero ticks.

Commenting about them keeps me from doing stranger things, like taping their fried remains in a scrap book.

On second thought, I should shut up and do the scrap book.

Paul Lundgren

about 15 years ago

I yanked a deer tick off my back today that's been feeding for an unknown length of time. I guess after frying 45 wood ticks, I was bound to come across their more formidable brother.

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