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Here's some information. The more you read, the more you realize that it's no secret, and there's no mystery, just strict biosecurity. http://www.ars.usda.gov/main/site_main.htm?modecode=19400000

I just Googled. The implication is that Lyme Disease originates from the NADC on Plum Island? Just so you know, Plum Island is no secret. I guess it's human nature to be curious about things they don't have access to, but you can call them and ask them anything you want, and I think you can go...

I have been to Plum Island, it houses the National Animal Disease Research Center. Not sure what it has to do with Lyme disease though. They mostly study diseases that are a threat to our national agriculture, most diseases there are not found in the US. The bulk of their work is with Foot and...

Those are fantastic!

Ooh, yeah, I do remember those crystals! I had tehm, I think, but they are a vague memory. What were they, do you remember? Yeah, Sea Monkeys were brine shrimp. I was pretty bummed out about them myself, they really didn't look like they were supposed to. But actually, now that you mention...

Well, I can tell you about my giant hissing cockroach colony if you want!

Sea monkeys?! Cool! :dance: Oh, wait. You said I'd see monkeys. That's different. Nevermind.

Whoa Nelly. Pythons? Seriously? That's amazing. Makes me wanna go see for myself!

Oye. If it was swollen, it got a good hold of you. Argh!

You are quite welcome. And FYI, deer ticks are not the only ticks to avoid. All of them are capable of carrying some icky disease, so it's a good idea to use repellent no matter where you go! Lyme disease is just the tip of the iceberg and if I had to pick one to get, I'd probably pick that...

Hm. I have always wondered if they ever exploded. I guess that answers that question!

Here is a map of the distribution of Ixodes scapularis and Ixodes pacificus, the "deer tick". http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/lyme/tickmap.htm

The few times I looked carefully and thoroughly and thought I had chiggers, they turned out to be teeny tiny ticks. I am shocked at just how small larval ticks can be. Perhaps I will get the opportunity to find actual chiggers this summer. :dance:

You know, I've looked, and I still have never been able to see a chigger. I've had many bites, but I've just never been able to visualize the actual beasts. I've found the tiniest ticks ever, but never chiggers. (I have a microscope). I just spent a couple of days hiking in the Ozarks, and...

Nope, just the fly maggot variety. :)

It's apparently a very active season, too. I just spent a week in Arkansas and I was stunned at just how many towns had sections that were wiped out.

That's a big one. I will weigh in and say fishing spider. I think the wolf spider generally has a bigger thorax and shorter legs. Ben, I used to be the same about maggots. Then I had to start raising them. It took me a few years, but I have gotten to the point where I can handle large...

Jeff, what a fantastic event! :)

Boyd, I owe you beer.

How true. :v: I also think it is due to the increased mobility of people. Tropical bugs (both the crawly kind and the microbial kind) are making their way across borders. And no, before LIP gets all YouTube about it, it's not just south of the border. People in general are traveling a lot...