There's been a small discussion in the Mods Forum but, this is important ot all of us:

Refering to the Glendale-Malvern Hill event of the 18,19,20th of April:

ticks...I've never seen anything like it. My final count rests at 27 total. Being in the bug business for 17 years, this sorta' scared the crap out of me. I'm getting a haircut today so the wife can check my scalp, for the third time. If Virginia is any indication; well, ticks populations will be up this year. Two of my friends were Spring turkey hunting at our camp, Mifflin County, Pennsylvania, the same weekend. And each pulled "a dozen or so" ticks off when they got back to camp('bout a 400 miles from Glendale-MH). The real problem I have with the whole thing is I use repellant all of the time, with 100% DEET, and reapplied several times during the event. The damn ticks were laughing and drinking the stuff. Now, I did not find any deer ticks on myself, only Lone Star Ticks and Brown Dog Ticks in varying sizes but still, that's a mess of ticks to find on ones person.  So, be warned, be careful and use some type of repellant...ALL OF THE TIME!

Lone Star:

Brown Dog:

Deer:
 

--Last edited by grumpydave on 2008-04-24 07:22:30 --

Grumpy,

I don't know where they're hiding, but when I got home I couldn't find single tick. Yesterday, we pulled eight of the damn things off me. Found another one this morning. It's starting to wig me out. I'm not used to critters taking up permanent residence.  

It’s certainly not period correct, but years ago we used to cut up flea collars and use safety pins to attach the pieces to the inside of trousers legs about sock level.  However, it bears mentioning that these were mainstream ticks.  It does appear the ticks are in an unhealthy transtion where they are sadly fascinated with the more is better routine.  It’s sad to say ticks are caught up in a vicious ectoparasite numbers game.  No matter, It’s questionable as to whether that tired old flea collar technique would be as effective among the c/p/h ticks.  Those c/p/h ticks would have better material skills and most aptly drilled to perfection.  They would be some sho nuff proficient c/p/h ticks. Their tick garments would have been acquired from the equivalent of tick designer uniforms.  We are talking about custom made items, not some typical barnyard variety ectoskeleton.  The thought does come to mind that there has been an equal opportunity movement among ticks, so perhaps, just maybe, there is no latent discrimination in latter day tickdom.  Yes, the Federal Ixododidea Government has leveled the Arachnids playing field by mandating that all human flesh is indeed sweet meat.  Along with the leveling was the directive that all arachnids can learn no matter what their previous heredity or environment.  Affirmative action has, of course, been implemented.  It moved those Brown Dogs to the fore front for no other reason than their former second class tick status.  The Brown Dogs claim they are simply receiving that which they have been unfairly deprived.  The Deer and Lone Stars glare at the Brown Dogs, while mumbling about the good ole separate tick but equal tick days.  The tick parent organizations all loudly proclaim galvanization would eliminate such petty differences.  All ticks must keep to the scrïpt.  There was non-elective enforcement and thusly the current levels of infestations are manifesting themselves.  This goes hand in hand with the tick higher headquarters insistence upon maintaining appropriate number ratios.  Also, Title 9 had a role to play.  Title 9 raised her sexist head in downtown tickdom when the time was ripe for such feminist equality shenanigans.  So, now days, all of the female tickettes are allowed the same opportunities and privileges as the boy ticks.  Parity has arrived among tiny six legged invertebrates.  If these governmentally mandated nonbiased ticks and tickettes are products of a proper no Ixododidea left behind program, allowances have to be made for their preference for those of you at the pinnacle of the Civil War reenactment hobby.  Hey, the bottom line is hosts.  You ain’t worth nothing as a card carrying blood sucker without naire host.  You gotta have a host.  You guys should consider yourself as performing a service while striving for the betterment of the class Arachnida.  

--Last edited by Curtis Makamson on 2008-04-24 14:37:27 --

Grumpy,

From years of fun in the woods, we've found lounging around pine trees and in pine straw to be a great place to pick up ticks.  That Broomsedge in the fields is also another great tick indicator.  Sometimes it is the luck of the draw as to who is a tick magnet, and who is not.

If you missed Nic Ellis's Creepy Crawly class at a Columbia Rifles' COI at Fort Ontario a few years, ago, then you really missed a nice busman's holiday.  He covered quite a bit of ground, to include some wool eaters we hadn't covered previously in any of the gear maintenance articles.

Good stuff. One of the fellows in the Pigg River Mess probably has the record for a reenactor with ticks at any given instant. Three of us removed several hundred from him (yes, he was crawling with them) that latched on while we were walking around the Marshall Farm area about 10 years ago. Wish we'd have had a camera....well, at least while he still had his pants on, that is.  The chiggers were bad near the pond not far from there, too.

Old Nick sure knows his bug stuff and he's very good at it too. We have tick class at least one time a year at work, this year, they threw in mosquitos too, because of the Avian Flu. Most of the "hype" connected with both critters is caused by the news media trying to get TV ratings and, nothing more.

Ticks are sort of like dogs. Dogs are born puppies. A dog none the less, just much smaller. A little puppy grows to be a dog, looking much the same the whole time it's alive. Same with ticks. So, when folks see a small tick, because of the media hype, it's immediatly a deer tick. And, Oh! I'm gonna die! An adult Deer Tick is smaller than the smallest tick I found on myself last weekend and, color is the biggest give away. If it's reddish brown, it's most likely not a deer tick.

Bill, they hide in hair. And come out when they need to feed. Let's leave it at that. Ew, ick.

Grumpy,

I'd like to get Nic involved with a project for 2009, but it won't be on the same level of intensity as the 2006 2nd Bull Run NPS LH. He seems to drop by Doug & Terri's on a regular basis, since work nudges him up that way.  As much as this stuff drains the life out of people, there isn't much to equal knocking two out of the ballpark like Winter 1864 2008 and GMH08 to get the season off to an excellent start - fuel prices be damned.  

Ticks, fleas, ants, chiggers, or not, the Glendale-Malvern Hill 2008 organ grinders are due for a good rest.  Poor Joe had to come off that and go right into Paper-Project-Exam H--l week at VCU.

Meanwhile Nicky Hughes is going to smack me upside the head with a half frozen mackerel if I don't get moving on some fun and joy closer to Dee Cee. Man, I hate going to Dee Cee. Sigh. I'd like to just phone this one in.

When you read the Kabuki AAR in the Columbia Rifles' newsletter, you'll howl laughing over something to do with the water.  Since you and I are the last two people in the world who truly relish a good pea soup, I'd like to be there when Doug reads it. I'm glad no one had an allergy to legumes. 'Nuf said.

I'm ticked (no pun intended) that I'm going to miss the Fort Drum event in June.

Only thing that works for ticks. Learned from 10 years in Marine Corps infantry.

http://www.permethrin-repellent.com/home.htm

You can buy it at Walmart most of the time. Coat clothes 24 hours in advance.  

--Last edited by gwagner1 on 2008-05-01 10:58:08 --