How to exterminate ...
 

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How to exterminate ticks?

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After an ill chosen camping spot last night my tent, some clothes, probably my sleeping bag and tbh everything else is probably covered in ticks 😔

What do I do once I’m home to make sure I get rid of them all?

They’re mostly tiny ones and I’m still finding them crawling around the bottom of the tent tonight. I’ve never seen them this bad before, within a couple of minutes my legs were covered. Obviously I brushed as many off as I could before getting in the tent but there’s only so much you can do!

I’ll take midges over ticks any day!


 
Posted : 03/09/2023 11:53 pm
 bruk
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I’d suggest buying frontline spray and testing it on a small area to check doesn’t damage material then using that. Or freezing everything


 
Posted : 03/09/2023 11:55 pm
phil5556 reacted
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Where were you camping, out of interest?


 
Posted : 04/09/2023 12:01 am
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Capture some tick predators (birds, frogs, etc.). Separate those that are also predators of the others, then shut them in the tent in shifts.


 
Posted : 04/09/2023 12:03 am
acidchunks and thebunk reacted
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About here https://maps.app.goo.gl/xcgZMdgEz76mdi5z5?g_st=ic


 
Posted : 04/09/2023 12:08 am
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Permethrin spray is what you want but it can be nasty stuff.


 
Posted : 04/09/2023 12:13 am
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Nice spot for a camp - I've stayed there on DofE a few times.
I can't say I've ever had that many ticks there beyond the usual - the north shore however is a tick horror show...


 
Posted : 04/09/2023 6:12 am
phil5556 reacted
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Capture some tick predators (birds, frogs, etc.). Separate those that are also predators of the others, then shut them in the tent in shifts.


 
Posted : 04/09/2023 6:26 am
 Spin
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Permethrin spray is what you want but it can be nasty stuff.

I treated my climbing trousers with permethrin and haven't had a tick since while wearing them.


 
Posted : 04/09/2023 7:01 am
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I treated my trousers and inner tent with Permethrin before a two week trip to some well known tick hotspots back in May; combined that with mitigation strategies such as not having the tent door open any longer than necessary, brushing myself off after sitting down, etc. Just got one, on my ankle. Doesn't address OP's problem but may be of future use. I spent the bank holiday last week reapplying Permethrin to clothes and tent prior to another trip starting next week.


 
Posted : 04/09/2023 7:25 am
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Freezer should do it, put straight in don't take them in the house. In fact I might bag them in bin bags first


 
Posted : 04/09/2023 7:46 am
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the north shore however is a tick horror show…

north shore of Loch Rannoch?

Freezer should do it, put straight in don’t take them in the house. In fact I might bag them in bin bags first

Annoyingly I’ve just got rid of the spare freezer from the garage that would have been perfect. Everything is now in the normal freezer for maybe a week?

I’ll have a look at Permethrin too 👍


 
Posted : 04/09/2023 6:38 pm
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Permethrin. Try Lifesystems. Treat your trousers with it  once you’ve washed the rest

are you sure they’re ticks. Keds can look remarkably similar, and are a bit more mobile.


 
Posted : 04/09/2023 6:46 pm
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north shore of Loch Rannoch?

Yes.
I was in the woods remote supervising DofE groups as they pass through. I was sat on a log for about 30 mins in white shorts. You could see dozens of them running around my shorts... I ended up having a swim as a way of getting rid of them.
Another time we camped near Loch Ericht southern dam and most of the group had a tick...


 
Posted : 04/09/2023 7:21 pm
phil5556 reacted
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are you sure they’re ticks. Keds can look remarkably similar, and are a bit more mobile.

Pretty sure, they were mostly tiny and cracked nicely between the back of my fingernails.

I just googled Ked and came across a pic of a Deer Ked, pretty sure I had some of them land on me too at some point, they were much much bigger though.


 
Posted : 04/09/2023 8:10 pm
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Yes.
I was in the woods remote supervising DofE groups as they pass through. I was sat on a log for about 30 mins in white shorts. You could see dozens of them running around my shorts… I ended up having a swim as a way of getting rid of them.
Another time we camped near Loch Ericht southern dam and most of the group had a tick…

That sounds similar, my new least favourite thing about Scotland. Probably ranked higher than midges now 🤣


 
Posted : 04/09/2023 8:15 pm
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I mean, you could take a flock of guinea fowl with you?   They'd have a field day.


 
Posted : 04/09/2023 8:31 pm
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I mean, you could take a flock of guinea fowl with you?

Just not after the 12th of August....


 
Posted : 04/09/2023 9:09 pm

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