Ticks in Arizona

[ddgrunning]

http://tucson.com/news/state-and-region ... 5fe11.html

I never thought twice about potential tick issues in Arizona ... I wonder if they are planning to release a more specific location than "mountain areas of southern Arizona."

[flagscott]

http://www.newsmax.com/Health/Headline/ ... id/799499/

So, there are predictions out there that this will be a bad year for Lyme Disease in the East: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/03/well ... -fear.html

But at this point there is no evidence that Lyme is hitting record levels: https://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2017/0 ... .html?_r=0

Anyway, all of those articles only apply to the Eastern US, and mostly just the Northeast. So, if you are heading up there, take precautions (though you should do that no matter what sort of year they're projecting for ticks). I couldn't find any news related to Lyme in AZ.

[trekkin_gecko]

https://www.google.com/search?q=brad+pa ... e&ie=UTF-8

[chulavista]

I went on a camping trip several years back, in the area of Antelope Peak. Took my dog with me. In just a matter of hours, she was covered with ticks. This was a January trip, and we discovered the ground where we camped was literally CRAWLING with them. And as a kid, I also ranched with the locals in the area. We kept tick repellant on hand for the dogs, used the human version for ourselves. Also had to keep wipe on the horses to keep them out of the horses' ears. I remember them being a big issue.

[big_load]

So, there are predictions out there that this will be a bad year for Lyme Disease in the East

Yes, the ticks are out in force this year, much more than most. Mrs. big_load has gotten a lot more than I have. She she gets one or two every time she goes hits the trail, about twice a week.

[SkyIslandHiker]

The American Hiking Society offers these tick tips:
https://americanhiking...

[Jim]

Dragging this up from the dead. Also, steering it back to Arizona.

I hiked Woolsey yesterday and on the drive home I pulled at least 1, perhaps 2 ticks off of me from my neck. The first one I felt right after I got on I-10 and grabbed from my neck and flicked in my car thinking it was a fly or something. The other I was nearly home, and when I picked it off of me from near my ear, I was really surprised to have another insect on me, and so I turned on my cabin light and looked at. I was shocked to see it was a tick, the large dog tick kind. I didn't see or feel any others on me.

It has been near record dry for the last 5 months, Woolsey is neither lush nor green normally, and there aren't even cattle or other animals that I ever see out there, but I somehow contacted ticks doing that yesterday. Woolsey is also not exactly a popular hike with HAZ members, but ticks are out this January, and if they are here, they can be other places.

[tdwood]

@Jim_H

[rally_toad]

One thing I've always wondered about our system's response to ticks is whether their is some sort of acquired resistance or repellent bodies can produce to repel ticks.

The reason I started to wonder about this is this little anecdote. When I was in Central America doing field work, the first few weeks I had multiple ticks every single day. After about a month this suddenly stopped, I would see ticks climbing on my clothes, but never attached.

Since that period in Central America I've never had another tick attached to my body. I've seen many crawling on my clothes but never attached.

Hence the question that seems unstudied about whether there might be an adaptive response to ticks after repeated exposures. Of course, it could be that I just got better at intercepting the ticks before they were able to attach.

[azbackpackr]

@Jim_H
I imagine you were pretty ticked off about this.

[big_load]

Of course, it could be that I just got better at intercepting the ticks before they were able to attach.

That can be quite a long interval, because most of them don't attach just anywhere. They can can spend a couple days working toward their ideal spots.

[joebartels]

Rabbit fever hits [ Lopez Canyon Trail ]

[AZHiker456]

ticks.jpg

OMFG... that is probably one of the most disturbing photos I have seen in my entire LIFE!!! PLEASE TELL ME that is a random photo off the internet... (VS something taken with your camera here locally...!?!)

[AZClaimjumper]

I've never thought about ticks or Lyme disease as a threat. I've read all the replies to your topic. I'm going to get some permethrin spray next time I'm in REI, Sportsman's Warehouse, or Cabela's.
Thank you for bringing up this topic.
Today, 31 Jan - I just bought a 24oz spray bottle of Permethrin, NOT an aerosol can. My intention is to transfer the liquid into a small 1oz Nasal Spray container which I can easily carry in a pocket & spray onto MEeee or my clothing anytime I wish.