Life cycle of ticks and what we should expect this year

[DougPaul]

They just get dormant until it warms up. Only way to reduce them in an area is reduce deer and mice populations.

One approach for local suppression is to put permethrin/pyrethrin (permethrin is a pyrethroid) treated cotton balls outside. The mice take the cotton for nest material and the permethrin kills the ticks that would otherwise feed on them.

Doug

 

[Chip]

2 or 3 times a year I'll put a bunch of mouse traps outside around the house, garage and shed. don't know how it's impacting the tick population, but it keeps the mice at bay.

 

[NH Tramper]

For those trapping mice around the yard (which would be helpful for sure), there is also a way to make a tick trap using a cooler, some plywood, sticky stuff (Vaseline will work), and some dry ice. The details can be found in this blog post.

 

[griffin]

One approach for local suppression is to put permethrin/pyrethrin (permethrin is a pyrethroid) treated cotton balls outside. The mice take the cotton for nest material and the permethrin kills the ticks that would otherwise feed on them.

Would the "treated" mice then pose a threat to local cats? Not that there are many outdoor cats in my neighborhood.

 

[NH Tramper]

Would the "treated" mice then pose a threat to local cats? Not that there are many outdoor cats in my neighborhood.

Probably not since they would get sick from the poison and stay in their nest until they died. Probably.

 

[DougPaul]

Would the "treated" mice then pose a threat to local cats? Not that there are many outdoor cats in my neighborhood.

Probably not since they would get sick from the poison and stay in their nest until they died. Probably.

I have seen nothing in the literature about mice being particularly sensitive so I don't think the permethrin will harm them and the dose delivered to the cats will probably be small enough that they too will not be harmed.

Doug

 

[bikehikeskifish]

Here is some additional graphical data on the spread of infected ticks: http://blog.nhstateparks.org/?p=2665

Tim
p.s. Yes, I realize the story is a Lyme Disease Awareness fundraiser but I'm not raising funds nor suggesting you donate - there is some interesting data contained withing the story.

 

[Peakbagr]

Tim, we'll allow it given your explanation.....