Ticks

[BRICKBURN]

TABARD

 

[Jon Glajchen]

Permethrin is unavailable in my area because of silly regulations. What would you guys recommend I do for my upcoming safari in Limpopo? Is there any store in Johannesburg that has some good tick repellant that you can recommend

Get Bayticol it’s made by Bayer. Available at most pharmacies. I would try Dischem, they have many branches in and around Johannesburg

 

[Pirkan]

Get Bayticol it’s made by Bayer. Available at most pharmacies. I would try Dischem, they have many branches in and around Johannesburg

This is just the kind of advice I was after. Thanks a lot.

 

[Doug3006]

Eland are also greatly afflicted by ticks. One of them I took in the Limpopo had lost an ear to an especially sever infestation. I’m told that periodically burning the bush is the best way to control them. Unfortunately this conservation best practice has become rare In SA.

 

[Ridge Runner]

Sorry if already addressed, but do you treat socks and underwear as well i.e. it’s safe for direct contact with skin?

Depends on your sensitivity to certain chemicals. And the strength of your mixture.

The first time I mixed up a batch of Permetherin and water it was a measured 1 ounce of Permetherin to 4 ounces of water, applied onto clothing till the clothing was damp, let dry, then wash without any detergent or softener, and air dried.

Being my first trip to Africa a munger of things could have dried and reddened my skin. However, back home, using that same solution on my clothes, on the opening day of goose and dove seasons by the end of the day my skin was red, dry and itchy where my outter clothing was against the skin. Kind of like a heat rash or a wind burn riding around on a lake all day in a power boat.

Same thing happens when I use a strong Deet insect repellent applied directly to my skin. To prevent this I wear untreated t-shirt, underwear, and socks, and spay a moderate amount of a Deet insect repellent around my waist/belt line, top of shoes or boots and bottom of pant legs (if pants are outside of boots) or where pants are tucked into boots, as a little extra added prevention. Having success here in the US I used this same method on my last 2 trips to Africa with success against ticks. Mosquitoes, those down right worst of these evil bastards will suffer through any and all types of repellent barriers, netting, clothing, camo makeup, smoke, tear gas ( Yes. Even military grade CS gas), etc. to bite me.

Before your trip to Africa:
If you know you have sensitive skin test your sensitivity level by wearing your treated clothing for several hours. If you have a reaction consider my remedy. If you don't have any reactions then it is probably relatively safe to say you can spray your under garments; t-shirts, underwear, and socks with Permetherin and not have any problems.

 

[uplander01]

All good advice, follow it. I got hammered by pepper ticks after a zim trip, wasn't feeling well for a few weeks after. tetse flies don't like skin so soft bug repel and sun block...don't know why but I hunted area for 10 days in infested mozambique location and only got bit 3-4 times in areas that weren't covered,.....may work for ticks too-

Not a big fan of deet, that stuff is really bad for you. Permethrin treated clothes is a game changer.

 

[Bert the Turtle]

Also, blouse your pants. Want them to have to spend time on the permethrin-treated cloth rather than just being able to bypass it.

 

[Finprof]

A good way to blouse your pants is to wrap the cuffs with duct tape sticky side out. If they try to crawl up the outside of your pants they get stuck.
And spray with permethrin.

 

[Woodcarver]

Depends on your sensitivity to certain chemicals. And the strength of your mixture.

The first time I mixed up a batch of Permetherin and water it was a measured 1 ounce of Permetherin to 4 ounces of water, applied onto clothing till the clothing was damp, let dry, then wash without any detergent or softener, and air dried.

Being my first trip to Africa a munger of things could have dried and reddened my skin. However, back home, using that same solution on my clothes, on the opening day of goose and dove seasons by the end of the day my skin was red, dry and itchy where my outter clothing was against the skin. Kind of like a heat rash or a wind burn riding around on a lake all day in a power boat.

Same thing happens when I use a strong Deet insect repellent applied directly to my skin. To prevent this I wear untreated t-shirt, underwear, and socks, and spay a moderate amount of a Deet insect repellent around my waist/belt line, top of shoes or boots and bottom of pant legs (if pants are outside of boots) or where pants are tucked into boots, as a little extra added prevention. Having success here in the US I used this same method on my last 2 trips to Africa with success against ticks. Mosquitoes, those down right worst of these evil bastards will suffer through any and all types of repellent barriers, netting, clothing, camo makeup, smoke, tear gas ( Yes. Even military grade CS gas), etc. to bite me.

Before your trip to Africa:
If you know you have sensitive skin test your sensitivity level by wearing your treated clothing for several hours. If you have a reaction consider my remedy. If you don't have any reactions then it is probably relatively safe to say you can spray your under garments; t-shirts, underwear, and socks with Permetherin and not have any problems.

Not a surprise you got a little red with that mix. If the concentrate you have is 10%, your 1:4 mix is 5 times the recommended dilution of .5%. 10% concentrate should be mixed 1:20. If you have the really concentrated stuff at 38%, it needs to be mixed 1:75 to get a .5% solution. The stuff like Sawyers sold premixed is .5%

Just informational-the really concentrated stuff is typically used outdoors, like kennels and stables. Be very careful using it if you have cats. They can't handle a solution above 1%, or even associate with a dog that had a heavier concentrate used on it. Results can be ugly.

 

[Ridge Runner]

Not a surprise you got a little red with that mix. If the concentrate you have is 10%, your 1:4 mix is 5 times the recommended dilution of .5%. 10% concentrate should be mixed 1:20. If you have the really concentrated stuff at 38%, it needs to be mixed 1:75 to get a .5% solution. The stuff like Sawyers sold premixed is .5%

Just informational-the really concentrated stuff is typically used outdoors, like kennels and stables. Be very careful using it if you have cats. They can't handle a solution above 1%, or even associate with a dog that had a heavier concentrate used on it. Results can be ugly.

The Permetherin I use comes from Tractor Supply. Recommended for stables, kennels, pens, Not Recommended for use on or around cats. And I did go heavy on the mix since I was using it on clothing and not directly on my skin, Not Recommended for human use. Meant for livestock and dogs.

IIRC the small bottle is good for 5 or 10 gallons and the big bottle is for 50 or 100 gallons.

 

[Woodcarver]

Another informational note on Permethrin. Don't use a milk jug to store it. Apparently it will break down the plastic in about a year's time. Ask me how I added that to my knowledge base....oh, and it will cause distortion on a pressboard shelf over that same time frame....