Deer tick threat from wild deer?


  #1  
Old 03-10-11, 08:01 AM
C
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Northern Virginia
Posts: 815
Upvotes: 0
Received 25 Upvotes on 22 Posts
Deer tick threat from wild deer?

My MIL has a herd of deer sleeping in her back yard- 6 or 8 at a time will bed down for the night. This has been going on for quite a while. What is the threat from deer ticks? I know they prefer to stay on their host but they have to propogate somehow. Is this a source for concern, for her or the grandkids running around in her yard?

Thanks
 
  #2  
Old 03-10-11, 08:27 AM
B
Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: New England
Posts: 9,460
Received 47 Upvotes on 43 Posts
I'm not an expert on the subject, but if your area of the country has deer ticks, the deer are just one source. Squirrels, birds, rabbits, mice, virtually every critter can carry these things. One of my puppies made a 15 second pass through the edge of the woods as I called her back into the house. As she went in, I could see a tick on her back. How they do it, I don't know.

I plan to spray the perimeter with something puppy safe and also bag all of my lawn clippings and dispose of them at the collection center.

From my experience with deer, getting rid of them my be more difficult than getting rid of the ticks .

Bud
 
  #3  
Old 03-10-11, 09:33 AM
Shadeladie's Avatar
Super Moderator
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: PA - USA
Posts: 4,897
Received 388 Upvotes on 316 Posts
They don't jump from the deer or other animals onto people. They sit on bushes and low plants and hop on to whomever happens to pass by at the time, which is usually an animal. Most of the ticks you see are the larger kind that don't spread the Lime disease.
I've got all sorts of critters in my back and I also walk thru the woods daily, and I don't get more than one tick on me a year, so I wouldn't worry too much.
 
  #4  
Old 03-10-11, 01:03 PM
chandler's Avatar
Banned. Rule And/Or Policy Violation
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: USA
Posts: 36,607
Upvotes: 0
Received 9 Upvotes on 8 Posts
Shadeladie is right. Why would they leave a host full of blood? After propogation, they attach themselves to branches and slough off on whatever passes by.
 
  #5  
Old 03-11-11, 06:49 AM
C
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Northern Virginia
Posts: 815
Upvotes: 0
Received 25 Upvotes on 22 Posts
THanks for your replies

Lots of good info here:
American Lyme Disease Foundation

Adult ticks lay eggs in leaf clutter on the ground; the eggs hatch into larvae, which attach to and feed on small ground animals and birds. The larvae drop off and molt into nymphs, which again attach to ground animals, feed, drop off into the leaf clutter, and molt into adults. Adults wait on high grass and leaves to attach to a host, preferring deer but making do with horses, humans, and pets. Periods of activity are affected by regional temperatures.

Not worried, as such, just trying to figure out the threat. Thanks for your replies!
 
  #6  
Old 03-11-11, 09:48 AM
Shadeladie's Avatar
Super Moderator
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: PA - USA
Posts: 4,897
Received 388 Upvotes on 316 Posts
Actually, since they prefer deer, could be the deer are doing everyone a favor by being there.
 
  #7  
Old 03-11-11, 03:14 PM
chandler's Avatar
Banned. Rule And/Or Policy Violation
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: USA
Posts: 36,607
Upvotes: 0
Received 9 Upvotes on 8 Posts
Basically no fat, cholesterol free, not a bad host
 
  #8  
Old 03-11-11, 03:55 PM
P
Forum Topic Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: United States
Posts: 1,915
Received 109 Upvotes on 102 Posts
They make good venison baloney, too! I just engorged myself on some earlier. Maybe I'll drop off now.
Check with your local county extension office, agricultural office for more info on the risk in your specific area. Insecticides aren't very helpful with ticks as they live in such a wide area. You can protect targeted areas, but with deer and animals roaming it's not feasible to treat that often. We live in the woods and I do no insecticide treatments targeting the ticks (carpenter ants and huge spiders, yes). The nymphal stage and adult stages of deer ticks can transmit lyme disease. They need to be attached to us for 24-36 hours to transmit the disease. Thorough showering is important, as they can be washed off. Don't count on being able to see them, especially the nymphal ticks. Adult ticks do drop off their hosts when engorged. Learn more about deer ticks and lyme disease, especially in your area, that is the key.
 
  #9  
Old 03-11-11, 03:59 PM
chandler's Avatar
Banned. Rule And/Or Policy Violation
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: USA
Posts: 36,607
Upvotes: 0
Received 9 Upvotes on 8 Posts
You mean shower more than once in a 36 hour period , that's pushing it in the country, ain't it?? Just because Deliverance was filmed here......well, I'll let that one go!
 
 

Thread Tools
Search this Thread
 
Ask a Question
Question Title:
Description:
Your question will be posted in: