|Wanderung| Newsletter ---Ticks

lulululu

Ticks
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There's one four-letter word (which happens to end in "ck") that will catch
every hiker's attention: tick. And unfortunately those unpleasant little
parasites are becoming more and more common in the Lower Mainland.

Nearby hot spots for ticks include the Fraser Canyon and parts of the
Fraser Valley, Deeks Bluffs is now known for ticks, and of course the
Okanagan and Southern Gulf Islands, and Vancouver Island.

Precautions for hiking in tick country include wearing long pants (tucked
into socks, or covered with gaiters), long-sleeved shirts, and pale colours
to make them easier to spot. Deet provides some protection against them.
Always check yourself (and your gear!) immediately after a hike and before
you get into the car. Check again when you get home. A shower is a good way
to dislodge any ticks that have yet to bite. Stick to cleared trails and
avoid bushwhacking.

The advice for removing a tick has remained the same over the years: the
only safe way to do it is to use tweezers or a dedicated tool to grip as
close to the mouthparts as possible and lever it out of the skin. Never
squeeze the body is this may cause the tick to inject bacteria into your
bloodstream. If in doubt, seek medical advice.

This video from PBS shows (in great detail, so the squeamish may not be
keen to watch!) how ticks dig in and why they're so difficult to remove:

This video from former BC Parks ranger Carley Fairbrother (aka the Last
Grownup in the Woods - whom you should be following on YouTube for her
quirky and informative nature videos) as well as a demonstration on how
easily they latch on to clothing:

Ottawa Public Health conducts tick dragging to collect ticks and test them
for Lyme Disease (as someone said, there's a job I wouldn't want!):

https://twitter.com/ottawahealth/status/996387207475707904

One of the reasons ticks are so unpleasant is that they can carry Lyme
Disease, which can be a chronic debilitating condition unless treated early.

http://www.healthycanadians.gc.ca/diseases-conditions-maladies-affections/disease-maladie/lyme/index-eng.php

http://www.healthlinkbc.ca/healthtopics/content.asp?hwid=tp23585spec

Unfortunately, it seems that the ticks that carry Lyme Disease are
spreading as a result of climate change:

https://www.thestar.com/life/2018/05/17/lyme-disease-cases-hit-record-highs-as-tick-populations-expand.html

http://www.cbc.ca/radio/thesundayedition/lyme-disease-the-first-epidemic-of-climate-change-1.4648296

The US CDC has a web page for avoiding contracting Lyme Disease

https://www.cdc.gov/lyme/prev/on_people.html

The article mentions Permethrin which is available in the US and can be
used to treat clothing (it should not be applied to the skin!).
Unfortunately it's not yet available in Canada.

I try not to let ticks dictate where I hike at this time of year, but it's
not always easy...!