[pct-l] ticks, skeeters and other itch producing bugs

[cmkudija at earthlink.net (cmkudija@earthlink.net)]

Ticks tend to show up early - as soon as the weather warms and the grasses
grow long and hang over the trail.  Ticks wait on the seedheads and drop off
on passing mammals, attracted (I think) by body heat.  There's LOTS of ticks
in the SoCal sections of the PCT ('tho they'll not be a problem in the
burned stretches).   DEET repels ticks.  Period.  I've been amused by
watching DEET-wary hikers pulling a dozen or so ticks from their socks &
other unmentionable places (and I've had that experience) while my
DEET-protected ankles remained tick-free.  The question is a matter of
weighing the risk of future DEET-induced illness (which I continue to read
is unproven) and the more immediate risk of tick-borne disease and
infection.  The latter are much more certain if a tick burrows into your
tender skin, imho.

Although I'm not you, if I WERE you, I'd take a spray bottle of DEET (Repel
or similar) from the start of your hike and make sure my ankles and pantlegs
were sprayed when walking through brushy or grassy areas.  There are some
alternative Permethrin products that can be sprayed on or laundered into
clothing that may be worth checking out.  Backpacker Gear Test reviewed
these as part of a general test of Sawyer repellents in the last year or so.
See
http://www.backpackgeartest.org/reviews/Health%20%26%20Safety/Insect%20Repel
lents/Sawyer%20Insect%20Repellents/ and decide for yourself.

Christine "Ceanothus" Kudija
PCT partially '94

-----Original Message-----
From: pct-l-bounces@mailman.backcountry.net
[mailto:pct-l-bounces@mailman.backcountry.net]On Behalf Of scott deputy
Sent: Thursday, February 26, 2004 1:32 PM
To: dude
Subject: [pct-l] ticks, skeeters and other itch producing bugs

I know some are deet free but I am still using the stuff.
My question:

When or where(assuming a typical thru hike pace)  on the trail do bugs of
this kind begin to show themselves, I would like to leave out the deet and
no seeum netting until they are necessary.

Any advice would be apprecieated

thanks
dep


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