Where have all the ticks gone?

[Boyd]

Not complaining or anything... but I haven't seen a single tick since the big rain storms. Have they all washed away and drowned? This spring and early summer they were horrible, as bad as I've ever seen. Now they're just gone. And this in spite of several long hikes through underbrush in different parts of the pines.

Saturday I went a couple miles down a narrow trail from Forked River Mountain and brushed up against all sorts of foliage. No ticks. Today I hiked about two miles through waist-high underbrush in the Lebanon State Forest. No ticks.

I'm lovin' this, but it seems odd.

 

[BEHR655]

Not complaining or anything... but I haven't seen a single tick since the big rain storms. Have they all washed away and drowned? This spring and early summer they were horrible, as bad as I've ever seen. Now they're just gone. And this in spite of several long hikes through underbrush in different parts of the pines.

Saturday I went a couple miles down a narrow trail from Forked River Mountain and brushed up against all sorts of foliage. No ticks. Today I hiked about two miles through waist-high underbrush in the Lebanon State Forest. No ticks.

I'm lovin' this, but it seems odd.

That does seem odd. Maybe they're making room for the chiggers.

 

[jokerman]

I'm glad that was aid because I have also noticed a major decrease for ticks. I thought maybe they had sprayed areas with "7". Allaire Park is usually the tick capital of the world and I came out of the brush with ZERO noticed. I got several very small ones on me in Georgia on Sunday, but still much less than usual. The Hanover Tract was absolutely loaded with all types and sizes when I was there in June. Maybe a trend may be noticed by this?

 

[Boyd]

Well last year they seemed to die down a little early also, but not this early. Since I live out in the woods and took on a big outdoor project this spring they were all over me. I literally couldn't walk around my house without having a couple on my clothes.

Whatever the reason, I'm likin' it

 

[jokerman]

Absolutley! Down in S.C. there were no ticks and it was great. I wonder if there is some portion of their life cycle makes them dormant at certain times. Who knows.

 

[Ben Ruset]

I've been lucky this year - just a few ticks and no chiggers.

I was at Hampton with Guy a few weekends ago and wanted to look at the deep cellar hole in the large field, but the sight of all of that tall grass made me reconsider.

 

[jokerman]

At Hanover, even if you walked through a few tufts of scatered Indian grass, there would be a couple on me. The things get in your shoelaces too and you can't see them! I wonder if Harrisville is experiencing a low tick abundance because I like it there in the summer except that it usually is very infested.

 

[manumuskin]

Ben,
I was checking out that cellar hole at night last week and got a half a dozen chiggers on each foot.
Al

 

[Ben Ruset]

Ben,
I was checking out that cellar hole at night last week and got a half a dozen chiggers on each foot.
Al

How deep was the water in it?

 

[RednekF350]

I think it is union rules. Chiggers are demanding more time on the humans and we are seeing a shift change.
I just got back from a walk back in Parkdale about an hour ago and me and my wife were crawling with chiggers. We stayed on sand roads the whole time except for climbing in and out of the truck which was in a little grass.
My wife's socks are outside on the porch right now and they look like they're covered with walking pepper.
We both took sceaming hot showers and doused with alcohol. Drank some alcohol afterwards too just to help kill the itch should it arise.
I'lll take ticks any day. I am good for at least 50 a year and so far I haven't drawn the lucky lymes tick or else lymes can't tolerate elevated blood alcohol levels.
Scott