Tick Patrol! Tips to enjoy the woods and avoid ticks
After being treated for Lyme Disease in 2013, I’m pretty careful about protecting myself from ticks when I’m in the garden or the woods. Here are some of the strategies I employ:
-
Pants tucked into socks and covered with:
Proper clothing keeps ticks away
- Permethrin treated gaiters by or, purchased from Eastern Mountain Sports
- Permethrin treated t-shirt from insectshield.com
- Permethrin treated “Buff” from insectshield.com- a stretchy cowel-like accessory that I wear around my neck
- Sawyer insect repellant (permethrin)- recommended by Concord Monitor hunting columnist Bob Washburn for treating clothes you own. It lasts for 6 washings.
- DEET based insect repellant applied around my hairline
- Check body for ticks every day
The Environmental Working Group gives DEET based insect repellants a more favorable rating than permethrin treated clothes. But I think I’m more likely to use the treated clothing.
by Hilary Warner
