The best way to protect yourself while out in the field is to cover up with long pants, trouser legs tucked into your socks, long-sleeved shirts and a hat. In addition, some insect repellants may be effective deterrants. Don’t forget to do a tick search on your body once you get back home!
photo © adrian binns
Sadly, sadly, though Lyme disease is a serious concern, ehrlichiosis is even worse. I don't know if they still do it, but it used to be that the badge of the NJ brotherhood was duck tape at the pant cuffs--not appealing, but generally effective at keeping ankles tick-free.
ReplyDeleteMy Katie got Lymes a few years ago... She had a bug bite on her abdomen. I kept ignoring it.... Two weeks later she said "Mom! It's not going away!!!!!" (Mom stares at classic bullseye pattern, not recognizing the obvious.... Is that "denial?") Finally take her to the Doc and he says... "We wanna kinda HOPE that it's Lyme...that way we'll KNOW what it is...." Test came back as high as it could, positive. If I'd have taken her earlier, test might not have been positive yet..... Penicillin knocked it ...GONE!
ReplyDelete(I've never heard of "ehrlichiosis?????")
Birding should never be a fashion show. Carrying duck tape certainly has multiple uses and I have seen your NJ brethren Rick! Elise, Ehrlichiosis is another tick bite disease, but one does not hear much about it here in the Delaware Valley - maybe because it is not as prevalent as Lyme here at the moment. My son's had Lyme disease twice, but only once with the 'bullseye", so one still has to keep an eye out for symptom's as well.
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