8.04.2006

And So It Begins...

Seed tick season. I do so hate seed tick season. Thousands and thousands of tiny little six-legged larval ticks, most less than the size of this period [.], and all eager for their first blood meal. I was that blood meal for about a hundred of the little suckers today. I stopped counting at a hundred anyway. And I did have the satisfaction of knowing that their first meal was also their last.

Guess it's time to add a roll of duct tape to my backpack, re-Permanone my boots and pants and adopt the paranoid attitude that every little tickle is a tick...man, I do hate seed tick season.

[seed ticks are the babies of the lone star tick, Amblyomma americanum]

5 comments:

Mr. Bloggerific Himself said...

Ewww.

Anonymous said...

Fortunately, we're coming to the end of tick season in Missouri, but chiggers are still a problem. Pants in socks, permethrin soaks for clothes, vigilance. Ugh!

swamp4me said...

Aw, Mr. B, come on...you know you are envious.

pablo, we won't see the end of tick season until late October or early November. Of course, the deer ticks are out in winter so I guess you could say that tick season never ends around here. Dealing with the adult ticks is no big deal, it's those itty bitty larval ones that drive me crazy.

Anvilcloud said...

I wonder if what they call noseeums up north of here are ticks? But they come out in late spring/ early summer, I think. Literally you get bites but usually don't see what's biting you.

R.Powers said...

Tick season...that implies there is an end to them?
Ahh well, Swampy, just think, Cubicle Dwellers only get to experience such things on their vacation camping trips...for you it's one more daily occupational hazard.
Anvil, down here noseeums are a type of tiny flying gnat that can bring on insanity...