It’s Tick Season

Ahhh…summer! I look out at the green fields, the trees with their leaves rustling in the breeze and the path that leads through the woods and I have one thought: ticks. When I was younger my siblings and I spent all day playing outdoors yet I do not remember any of us getting bitten by a tick. I have been bitten at least three times in the last few years. I am not sure why the increase in tick activity but I resent the fact that they are limiting mine.

I spoke at a Garden Club recently and was intrigued when a member, who worked in the gardening industry, mentioned a treatment for clothing that would repel ticks. I have a spray that I use that contains permethrin but she said this was different. The company actually soaked clothing and the repellent remains effective for over 70 washes. I had to learn more so of course I checked the internet.

The Tick Encounter Resource Center is a wonderful site that has all you ever need to know about ticks, including identification and preventative measures. The website also directed me to a company that will treat clothing.

According to the website:

Wearing tick repellent clothing is the best– and easiest –way for people to prevent tick bites when they venture outdoors. Did you know you can turn your own favorite clothes into tick repellent clothes? Your comfortable gardening pants, lucky golf shorts, hiking socks, everything for the kids to take to summer camp….all professionally treated with an invisible, odorless, EPA registered, tick repellent (permethrin) that remains effective through 70 washes! Insect Shield provides a service that does just that. There is no minimum quantity and volume discounts are available. If ticks are a problem for your family, this could revolutionize your lives. Tick-bite protection as easy as getting dressed in the morning. Check it out!

Imagine being able to enjoy the outdoors without the constant worry of a tick bite! Of course I will still apply a repellent with DEET on my skin but the clothing part will be huge.

For more information contact the Tick Encounter Research Center.