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Morning Open Thread Tuesday May 13, theme: ticks [1]

['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.']

Date: 2025-05-13

Welcome to Morning Open Thread, a daily post with a MOTley crew of hosts, who choose the topic for the daily posting. We support our community, invite and share ideas, and encourage thoughtful, respectful dialogue in an open forum.

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Note: I use a ‘theme’ for my diaries, in an attempt to keep my writings on a cohesive path while I compose the diaries. It is also fun to see comments that fit within that theme. However, here in MOTland, all topics are welcome, it is an open thread. There are no demerits for being so-called ‘off-topic’. Thanks!

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>>This diary is on the topic of ticks, the parasitic arachnids that can cause disease and other bad things.

Thanks to DKOS member Treehuggeralways for the suggestion to write about ‘insects’.

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Preview: Next Tuesday May 20, topic is ‘chiggers’

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Some links: Wiki ticks CDC about ticks CDC tick prevention

There are many YT videos about removing ticks from humans and animals, this author will let the reader winnow through them. They are somewhat ‘gross’.

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From Wiki link above:

Ticks are parasitic arachnids of the order Ixodida. Adult ticks are approximately 3 to 5 mm in length depending on age, sex, species, and "fullness". Ticks are external parasites, living by feeding on the blood of mammals, birds, and sometimes reptiles and amphibians.

Because of their hematophagous (blood-ingesting) diets, ticks act as vectors of many serious diseases that affect humans and other animals.

Tick species are widely distributed around the world. They tend to flourish more in warm, humid climates, because they require a certain amount of moisture in the air to undergo metamorphosis, and low temperatures inhibit their development of eggs to larvae. The occurrence of ticks and tick-borne illnesses in humans is increasing. Tick populations are spreading into new areas, due in part to the warming temperatures of climate change.

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From ‘CDC about ticks’ link above:

Many tickborne diseases can have similar signs and symptoms. If you get a tick bite and develop the symptoms below within a few weeks, see your healthcare provider.

The most common symptoms of tick-related illnesses include:

Fever/chills. All tickborne diseases can cause fever.

All tickborne diseases can cause fever. Aches and pains. Tickborne diseases can cause headache, fatigue, and muscle aches. People with Lyme disease may also have joint pain.

Tickborne diseases can cause headache, fatigue, and muscle aches. People with Lyme disease may also have joint pain. Rash. Lyme disease, Southern tick-associated rash illness (STARI), Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF), ehrlichiosis, and tularemia can cause distinctive rashes.

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From CDC tick prevention link above:

Know where to expect ticks. Ticks live in grassy, brushy, or wooded areas, or even on animals. Spending time outside walking your dog, camping, gardening, or hunting could bring you in close contact with ticks. Many people get ticks in their own yard or neighborhood.

Ticks live in grassy, brushy, or wooded areas, or even on animals. Spending time outside walking your dog, camping, gardening, or hunting could bring you in close contact with ticks. Many people get ticks in their own yard or neighborhood. Treat clothing and gear with products containing 0.5% permethrin. Permethrin can be used to treat boots, clothing and camping gear and remain protective through several washings. Alternatively, you can buy permethrin-treated clothing and gear.

with products containing 0.5% permethrin. Permethrin can be used to treat boots, clothing and camping gear and remain protective through several washings. Alternatively, you can buy permethrin-treated clothing and gear. Avoid contact with ticks. Avoid wooded and brushy areas with high grass and leaf litter. Walk in the center of trails.

Avoid wooded and brushy areas with high grass and leaf litter. Walk in the center of trails. Use insect repellents containing DEET, picaridin, IR3535, Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus (OLE), para-menthane-diol (PMD), or 2-undecanone.

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Authors anecdotes: I go in the woods often, and sometimes get ticks. Luckily it has never been more than an itchy area on my carcass. And I spray repellents before every excursion during tick season, which is starting now here in rural SW MO.

When I taught Search And Rescue excursions, I joked ‘I am not a religious man, but before we go, LET US SPRAY!’

Some folks use duct tape on their lower pant cuffs, taping to their shoe tops, to keep ticks (and chiggers) off their legs. Corollary, not a good idea to wear shorts in the woods.

One young (20’s) man that I know was bitten by a tick, and he was extremely sick, he lost almost a year of work due to that. Years ago, another 20-something co-worker (in Minnesota) got lyme disease from a tick byte and was confined home for many months to recover.

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OK a stretch to find a song, here’s ‘tick tock polka’, performed by my one-man band.

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