When you say camping, what do you think of? For me, camping is liberating, gives me energy, and makes me alive. However, what are the dangers of camping that you should be aware of?
Ticks are small arachnids that suck blood to survive. In this article, I will explain all about ticks, how to prevent them on camping and what to do when you get one.
According to the fact that ticks can transmit Lyme disease and others, you should protect yourself when spending time outdoors.
Read on to minimize getting ticks and opt for the right technique to remove them.
A few words about ticks
I know people who are not scared of these blood-sucking creatures but they don’t realize that having a tick can bring diseases and possible health complications.
A boss of a friend of mine has meningitis and she has days when she can’t do anything, is powerless, and can’t go to work.
This is an example that should open your eyes when it gets to ticks.
What are ticks?
Ticks are not insects as a majority of people think. They are arachnids; relatives of spiders, scorpions, and mites. They live by sucking the blood of a victim to survive.
The negative aspects of a tick are transmittable diseases like Lyme disease, Anaplasmosis, Borrelia, Babesiosis, tularemia, and other diseases that you can get by a tick bite.
These diseases can be caused by a virus or bacteria.
Tick types
There are 2 families of tick types in the US; Ixodidae (hard ticks) and Argasidae (soft ticks). You will be surprised how many tick species we have across the world.
There are 700 species of hard ticks and 200 species of soft ticks according to lymedisease.org but just a few are known to bite and transmit disease to humans.
How to protect yourself from ticks while camping?
As you will go camping in nature there is a possibility of getting a tick, especially if going camping in the forest. Where are ticks most commonly found? They can be found in the grass, trees, bushes, leaves, and wooded areas.
These are the best ways to prevent ticks when camping.
Stay away from the tick areas
These small animals can be found in areas where there is a lot of moisture. So, if you avoid long grass, tree leaves, and decomposing trees, you have fewer possibilities to get one.
Where to camp to avoid ticks?
When setting up your campsite, pick clean areas with short grass, and without too much greenery around. Ticks can hide also in the leaves on the ground so make sure you clean them before setting up a camping tent.
The pitching area should have sun, it is best that it is exposed to the sunlight as much as possible as they don’t like the sun.
Are ticks attracted to bright colors?
How to prevent tick bites while camping? One of the best tick prevention methods is to wear dark-colored clothes. These animals like bright colors and are attracted to them so avoid packing yellow, red, orange, pink, and white clothes.
It also helps if you wear long-sleeve clothing and to put your pants into shoes or to tuck socks over the pants so they can’t reach the skin so easily.
Use permethrin for ticks
Permethrin is an insecticide that is used to repel ticks and other insects. You can find this substance in liquids, dusts, powders, sprays, and treated clothing.
How does it work?
When the animal is in contact with the insecticide (touch or eat), its nervous system is affected. The symptoms of an exposed animal to permethrin are muscle spasms, paralysis, and death.
Where to buy permethrin spray?
If you want to be protected from these blood-sucking vampires check the odorless Sawyer permethrin on Amazon that comes in different net contents that you can choose from.
I suggest you put the spray not only on clothes but also on your camping gear like a tent, backpack, hammock, tarp, and other equipment.
You can also get a tick spray for camping that includes DEET, or picaridin.
Use natural tick repellent for camping
Are you not a fan of chemicals and want to avoid ticks when camping naturally? There are plants that repel ticks due to their fragrance. These are the most common tick repellent plants.
- Sage
- Rosemary
- Lavender
- Lemongrass
- Garlic
- Citronella or lemongrass
- Eucalyptus
- Cedar
Make homemade tick repellent
Make your own plant tick repellent by mixing distilled water and essentials oils of the mentioned plants and put the mixture in the spray bottle for easy usage.
Best natural tick repellent to buy
If you don’t want to mess with homemade tick repellent then you can buy a natural tick repellent for camping by Murphy’s Naturals.
Natural tick repellent for yard
I have got another natural solution to stop ticks from coming to your camp place. The Wondercide sells an insect killer spray that comes in a canister.
- KILLS & REPELS. A flea and tick yard treatment and preventative, this pest-repellent spray is...
- SPRAY & PLAY! Safe around cats, dogs and people of all ages when used as directed, with no wait time...
- TREATS UP TO 5,000 SQUARE FEET. Can be safely used on lawns, gardens, grass, patios, dog kennels,...
- NO NASTY INGREDIENTS. No artificial colors, fragrances or harsh pesticides. Made in the USA from...
- POWERFULLY EFFECTIVE WITH NATURAL ESSENTIAL OILS. Powered by cedar oil, Wondercide is pest...
The whole point of this product is to install the water hose on the container and to spray the area where you are camping.
This method is a smart idea to use if you are staying in a campground where you can use a water hose hookup and spray the large area around the tent. It covers 5,000 square feet of space and works due to the cedar oil.
Sprays with cedar are one of the best tick repellents for camping because the substance blocks the octopamine neurotransmitter receptors in pests. Octopamine is essential for the living of pheromone-driven pests like ticks.
Are ticks attracted to curtain blood types?
A pilot study that was made by Dr. Daniel Cameron, Žákovská, and colleagues from Masaryk University in the Czech Republic, concluded that they prefer blood type A over 0 and AB blood type. Blood type B was the least preferred.
How to keep ticks off dogs while camping?
The best way to protect your dog on camping is to give him oral medication, topical spray, or a tick collar.
In case he gets a tick, have a first aid kit for dogs with you so you will remove it easily. Don’t walk on high grass with him and don’t stay on the tick areas.
How to remove a tick the right way?
If you got a tick no matter of the prevention, you should remove it the right way. Pick fine-tipped tweezers and hold it as close to the skin as possible. Hold it with the tweezers gently without killing it and slowly pull it away from the skin.
The pressure should be even all the time, don’t pull it quickly. The animal will detach from the skin this way.
If the head remains in the skin try to put it away with tweezers. However, if it doesn’t want to come out, leave the body to remove it by itself.
After it is removed, rub the area with the alcohol or use water and soap to clean the wound.
Will a tick head eventually come out?
Yes, your body has a defensive system that will push the foreign object on its own.
Can ticks crawl through clothes?
No, there is no chance that a tick can crawl through clothes.
What month do ticks come out?
The adult ticks come out in March and are most active from March to May and from August to November.
When do ticks stop being active?
Ticks will stop being active when the temperatures are freezing.
Are ticks worse after rain?
They love moisture so they can be even more active after rain. Rain and snow melting make ticks increase.
What are the odds of getting Lyme disease from a tick?
You have up to 50% possibility to get Lyme disease from a tick. However, a chance to get it depends on the species, where it came from, and how long it was attached to you.
What are the 3 stages of Lyme disease?
The first stage is called early localized Lyme disease. In this stage, the bacteria haven’t spread in the body yet.
The second stage is called early disseminated Lyme disease where the bacteria spread throughout the body.
The third stage is called late disseminated Lyme disease where the bacteria have spread over the body.
Can a tick be dead and still attached?
It can happen but it is rare.
How long can a tick live on a human?
An adult female tick can live on a human for 7-10 days, but the time depends on its species, life stage, and host immunity.
Can you feel ticks crawling?
Yes, you can feel when a tick is crawling due to the nerves in the skin.
Do ticks come off in the shower?
If they still crawl and if they didn’t attach to the skin yet, then you can get rid of them with a shower. It is important that you shower after you come from hiking or from the woods and change clothes.
Can a tick live without its head?
No, it needs a head to suck the blood and feed so it doesn’t have a chance to survive if it is headless. A tick also doesn’t have the ability to regrow new organs.
Prepare and enjoy camping without ticks
When you are going camping outdoors you should protect yourself from the predators like ticks. This is important because there are some harmful diseases that they transmit.
Follow my guide and use the tips that will help you to prevent them from attaching to you. Also, use my advice on what to do if a tick got to your skin regardless of the protection.
Prepare yourself and put some tick protection on while you camp or hike. If you see a red circle around the would after you remove a tick, go to the doctor to check it.
