becareful ! they are out there!!!

[splat]

And may the little Fuckers DIE!!!!!!!!!!

My son went out on to some power lines in Natick for just 5 -10 minutes. he came out and we found these little Bastards on him!!

4 Deer , 2 wood ! ( deer which carry lyme !! )

Watch out !!! Lyme is nasty !!

Here they are !

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b227/jgoeller/Misc/ticks/tick1.jpg

Now playing with extension tubes

wood tick

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b227/jgoeller/Misc/ticks/tick2.jpg

wood tick with 2 deer ticks

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b227/jgoeller/Misc/ticks/tick3.jpg

My son got this cool digital Micro scope at 100X a deer tick

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b227/jgoeller/Misc/ticks/tick4.jpg

at 200x the jaws of a deer tick, no wonder they are tough to get off

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b227/jgoeller/Misc/ticks/tick5.jpg

[AA]

Nasty. Now I need to do a tick check....

[agabriel]

Did you have to use tape to get them off?

[splat]

Did you have to use tape to get them off?
duct tape is great !!!!

[C.P.]

No kidding, I found a deer tick about a month back, when we were all still looking at the white stuff in many areas (in SEMASS)...

[bikdav]

That is nasty! Thank you for the warning.

[bdee]

man.. now I'm all itchy. I've been surprised I haven't found any yet, maybe the early AM rides have been too cold at near freezing? Time to break out the OFF I guess.

[hammerhead]

Found one on my dog after we were at Batchelor's St. They are out west too.

[ragertim]

very cool pics, john!

[antonio]

Thanks for the pics, splat. I've used OFF on enough rides where ticks haven't been an issue, but it's good to know what to look for.

BTW - does anyone know if ticks are more prevalent in different parts of the state?

[Mongoose]

Nasty buggers.. I got lymes last year in one of the south shore area parks so be careful.

[Longshanks]

BTW - does anyone know if ticks are more prevalent in different parts of the state?

Yes. Ticks are prevelant in all of New England. Lyme-carrying deer ticks are slightly more prevalent in the southern part > bascially, all of CT, RI, the South Shore of MA, and the Cape & Islands are high risk areas for lyme disease. Most of the rest of New England is medium risk (this is according to the American Lyme Disease Foundation).

As mt bikers, however, we're all at high risk. So take precautions (wear repellent, shower after riding), and go to the doc if you think you might have a deer tick bite (it's worth repeating: go to the doc if you think you might have a deer tick bite).

[GandALF2]

Check put this page for very good info on these little buggers. It has size comparisons between the wood tick and deer tick. The deer ticks are unbelievably small!

http://www.extension.iastate.edu/Publications/PM2036.pdf

[PutAwayWet]

Both of my dogs regularly test positive for lyme disease here in seacoast NH.

[bullitfreerider]

Super pics John. I always try to stay on the trail and avoid sitting, standing or crashing into the brush.........hard to remember. Yup to bug spray.

[Aging Wannabee]

I almost never get find any on me but every now & then I feel a weird tickle... and there it is. Last fall I did all the right stuff but found one a day later attached to a very sensitive and important pouch. No tickle that time! Yuk.
My dog just tested positive recently when we took him in for what we thought was old age related joint stiffness and weakness. Not sure how much is Lyme's and how much is age.

[bullitfreerider]

My dog just tested positive recently when we took him in for what we thought was old age related joint stiffness and weakness. Not sure how much is Lyme's and how much is age.

Years ago, my dog had symptoms of lameness in one leg and then it would move up to the front leg. Took him to Tufts in Grafton when my vet couldn't see him for a few days. Tufts blew the call, telling me that it was arthritus from an auto injury incurred before we adopted him from our neighbor. Finally got back to our vet where it was easily determined that it was Lyme. Meds took care of that job.

Another tic born disaease that is very serious and deadly is erlichiosis. Metaxa had that as well.....showing severe lethargy. Blood tests showed his white blood count was dropping like a rock. It took two sets of blood tests(first one missed it) both at the vets and an outside service before it was picked up at the outside service. He would have started to bleed out internally in quick order, but we got him immediately on meds and that saved him. He's now 15 years+. I guess humans can get that too.

[jselz1]

Caught lyme last year MTBing. Out of work for a week with fever. Highest temp I measured was 104. Wasn't fun. Buddy got it too a month later. Didn't hit him as bad.

[heatwave]

Anybody here use permethrin on their clothes in addition to Off?

[Curtis Chase]

I got a deer tick last year, didn't notice him for 2 days, luckily I think I made it out alright, haven't had any issues.

I've never even seen a tick in all my years in northern VT, but down here in MA last year and so far this spring have been nuts with the ticks.

[bcarm]

Bumping this up for the new riders. I picked it up last summer, I caught it early but it could've been much worse. Find a repellent with the highest % of Deet you can find and use it. Deep Woods Off is good.

[Aging Wannabee]

My neighborhood BSG was telling me last week that he was having some numbness in his legs. I figured it was a pinched nerve. There's a sign on his door now saying he's closed for "procedures" and "watch out for ticks, they'll getcha". I figure Lyme disease now. sheesh. I'll count my blessings.

[C.P.]

The little bastards are out there for sure. Found a few deer ticks on my sons after a jaunt in Borderland. Be careful!

FWIW, Here's a tick identification chart

http://www.mass.gov/Eeohhs2/images/dph/cdc/tick_id_card.jpg

[GV_MTBiker]

I was down on the south coast a couple weeks ago just going to a walk and I found one crawling up my jeans.. the darn thing was half way up my thigh. I only use repellents with Deet like OFF. As far as I know repellents like Cutter DO NOT contain Deet which means they won't stop the ticks from biting.