I did some volunteer work at a camp last week. I coated myself in Deep Woods Off at 9:00 AM. By 11:00 AM, I had 7 ticks on me and had to go re-apply. Yesterday, my son had one on him which was strange since he hadn't been outside much and we don't usually have a lot of ticks at my house since I live in a city and I don't have much for trees.

It's global warming!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ha ha, neurosurgoen and physical therapy thank you.

The ticks are very bad here this year. Frontline keeps them off the dogs but I'm having a hard time keeping them off the horses. I have to put the fly spray on them every other day or I begin to loose the battle. This year we also used a fertilizer that had an insecticide in it as well for the yard...but if you step out into the pasture or woods your in trouble.

I've also noticed the mosquitoes are out already. I shouldn't really be surprised with all the rain we've had this spring. I'm not looking forward to the camping trip this weekend.

I have heard that ticks are bad here in PA already. I have not had any encounters with them yet (knock on wood) this year, but several people I know have.

I know I am entering this late BUT
Did BB actually say "Mild Winter this year", I didn't think Phx had winter ?!?!!?
We treat the yard with Diazacide Granuals 2X per year and that does a good job keeping these critters away.

Here are a couple more good ways to remove ticks:

Put a drop of liquid dishwashing detergent on them, they can't breathe and will back themselves out rather quickly, or so I have heard.

My husband said that they have always put petroleum jelly on the tick, it then backs out quickly because it can't breathe.

Both of these solutions seem to be much more comfortable than some other solutions that I have heard and/or tried.

that can take a while kendrar, I say burn 'em with a stick match, they move super fast (for a tick) when they feel the fire

The vaseline method does not work well enough to try it. I've tried several times and the tick does not "back out". Then when you try to pull it out, it is greasy and slick and you can't get a good grip. You want to make sure you get a good grip so you can pull the head out of your skin. If that remains, you'll get an infection. Some infections can get pretty bad.

You need to make sure you clean the area before pulling the tick and then clean it again after it is removed.

This is from someone who once walked through a seed tick nest and got over 200 on my left leg alone. You don't want to know about the rest of me.

From what I have heard, the recommended method of removal is to grasp them as close to the skin as possible with pointed tweezers and pull them gently straight out. The last one I had was at about 3 in the morning and I just grabbed it and yanked it out, leaving some parts embedded. I did not get an infection, but I was probably just lucky.

As far as burning or suffocating them, they say it can cause them to spew stuff back into your bloodstream that you don't want in your bloodstream.

No matter what method you use (I'd do the match or acetone...it's worked for me on my dog), do this first...

Get some sewing thread and start to tie a knot in it. Before you close the knot, loop it over the tick's body, then tighten it up just enough so that it can't get away, but not so tight you pop its head off. Then when you burn it with the hot match head or acetone, you already have it on a leash and can keep track of it. Makes it easy and you won't have to touch it (eeew!).

Campho Phenique works well to get the ticks to back out, but as Mint Julep said about the vaseline it makes them slick... it also serves to soothe the bite area as well..

The ticks are very bad here this year!!!! So far none on me or the kids.. the dogs are covered. I have treated out immediate back yard and that is fine.. no ticks.. out in our pasture is awful though and the dogs like to run out there.

My ex-wife's dear sainted grandmother on her father's side swore that Campho Phenique could cure anything.

Dip, why the "eeeew"? Touch the tick! It is already touching you!

Not if you're removing someone else's tick for them...pet person, whomever...

I've never had a tick on me, but I have removed them from many dogs over the years. I like to use a flea comb, and then give it a little twist at the end. This gets the head out cleanly and the tick is trapped in the comb.

Aaaah, needs Garlic.

what are you making for dinner Ops that has garlic, I love garlic!!!

me too, I put it in about everything I cook, it is supposed to keep you from getting sick

My breath stinks. No vampire problem here.

chicken fettuccini?

chicken parm

Be very careful with ticks now-a-days! It sounds like you all are only talking about dog ticks - which are the ones that carry Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. That disease is on the rise again. In Eastern PA, we also have deer ticks, and they spread Lyme Disease. It's very nasty, hard to diagnose, and if not caught in time, can cause damage to varied systems in the body. We know several people who are dealing with the after-effects of Lyme. It's something that never goes away if not caught early.

And, yes, they are bad here this year.

We have deer ticks here too, the population is just out of control. You can't go outside without having to check everyone over. Even those drops you put on dogs are not helping. I have a pomeranian, so i have to check his hair everytime he comes in.

I am glad I like to read and cook... no ticks there.

lol I already told you why....