If you love the outdoors, what can you do to limit your risks of tick bites in the first place? Some of the most commonsense preventative measures are still the best.
When hiking, stay on groomed trails, and stay to the center of the trails if possible. Wear long pants and shirts with long sleeves, and tuck your pants into socks, boots or shoes if possible. Wearing light-colored clothing makes it easier to spot ticks on you. Again, after hiking or spending time in nature, check yourself, children and pets thoroughly for ticks. There are also a variety of repellants that have been approved by the EPA for use in repelling, and in some cases, even killing ticks. The Center for Disease control recommends three repellents. Permethrin, DEET, and Picaridin are the most effective options.
Let’s take a look at each of these choices. Permethrin is considered the most effective repellent, as it
The next most effective repellent for ticks is DEET. With average effectiveness of 85%, DEET is also the most studied insect repellent. DEET can be applied directly to the skin or to clothing, although it may stain or damage some fabrics. While there have been concerns about negative effects, a concentration of 20-50% is considered safe. Common sense precautions such as not applying products containing DEET to broken or sensitive skin, minimizing skin exposure, avoiding contact with eyes are all recommended. It is also recommended to wash products containing DEET from skin completely after use.
One of the newest repellents on the market in the United States is Picaridin. Picaridin is another synthetic compound made to mirror those of a plant. In this case, plants containing the natural compound piperine found in plants used to produce black pepper. Picaridin has been widely used in Europe and Australia prior to approval for use in the United States in 2005. It can be applied to skin or clothing, is 85% effective in repelling ticks and other biting insects, and is odorless and non-irritating. Several repellents containing Picaridin are widely available.
There are three other repellents shown effective by research; two of the three are approved by the EPA. With an active ingredient derived from wild tomato plants, BioUD has a 90% average efficacy rate and can be applied to both skin and clothing safely. IR3535 is a short name for Insect Repellent 3535 which was trademarked by Merck pharmaceutical in the 1980s. Despite a long chemical name (Ethyl butylacetylaminopropionate) this compound is essentially a synthetic amino acid, structurally similar to a beta amino acid found in vitamin B. This repellent works by confusing an insect’s sense of smell. Use of IR3535 has been widespread in Europe for over 30 years and WHO (World Health Organization) studies have proven it not only safe but also effective. IR3535 is the active ingredient in Avon’s popular Skin So Soft Bug Repellent.
The last option is one that is not approved by the EPA but has shown to be as effective as DEET in some varieties. A lot of debate surrounds the use of Essential Oils, especially as a repellent. The most researched varieties were rosemary, geraniol, peppermint, thyme, lemongrass, and cedar. Efficacy depended on the concentration and type of oil.
When applying repellents to skin it is recommended to test a small patch of skin prior to widespread use. Aerosol and spray repellents should be applied to skin (if recommended) and clothing outdoors. Repellents are not recommended for use on infants, and many are not recommended for children under age two. Read all warnings and indications on packaging prior to use. For children age 2-12 it is highly recommended to supervise children when applying repellent. Parents or another adult should apply the product to their own hands and then rub onto a child’s clothing or skin (as directed). More information and tips for reducing your risk of Lyme’s can be found at www.echealthdepartment.org
I really wish the Eau Claire Health Dept would do a tick sweep at Beaver Creek. There are steps to decrease the tick population in this area. I wrote you last year about purchasing guinea hens but you said they cannot have this type of animal there. There are other animals that eat ticks that would decrease the population and there are other ways of decreasing them like putting tick tubes around the area. https://www.consumerreports.org/pest-control/bait-boxes-are-a-safe-way-to-keep-ticks-out-of-your-yard/
ReplyDeleteSorry for the late reply. Evidently, I did not have comment notifications being sent to the correct email. We appreciate all your suggestions. Yes, Guinea Fowl do eat ticks, but they also eat a wide variety of other insects and they are not a native species to our area. We do a lot of work combating invasive species, and without an abundance of predators, there wouldn't be checks and balances to keep the population of guinea fowl from overpopulating our property. In addition, there are many other species of birds and other animals that also eat ticks that are native to our region. The opossum and wild turkey, just to name a few. Adding guinea fowl would introduce competition for food sources among the existing inhabitants.
ReplyDeleteWhile a tick sweep can be a good tool for collecting ticks to study, it is not meant to be a wide-spread solution for removing the population. And again, though they can be pests, they do serve a role in the ecosystem. We would also be worried about disturbing other creatures and plants with this method, nor would it be feasible to implement something like this on our 400 acres. Tick bait boxes are still relatively new. There seem to be two major hurdles into using them at Beaver Creek. The first would be that because the main chemical used to kill ticks, acaricide, is a neurotoxin and it is unclear how it would affect the predators that eat the mice or other rodents that would use the boxes. The second, major hurdle would be the cost of implementation. In the consumer report article you provided, they quoted that an average home would need $800 worth of traps annually to be effective, again with the size of our property, and the fact that we are a nonprofit, this would not be feasible.
Lyme's is a serious disease and one we want to help limit the risk of exposure to, not only for our visitors but for our staff and families as well. Based on our research and that of Eau Claire County, permethrin is the best way to prevent human exposure to ticks. It is safe, long lasting and very effective. If you have further questions, we recommend reaching out to us by phone or email at bcr@beavercreekreserve.org