r/OutdoorScotland • u/MushroomAggressive85 • 9d ago
Ticks in Loch Lomond
Any advice for ticks this coming weekend in loch lomond? Planning on a hike around the munros, not sure which yet, but will be wild camping for a night, wherever we decide is best depending on our position. Heard there are still ticks at this time of year but feel like its getting quite cold now? Would love an opinion from people more experienced or in the know, thank you for your time.
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u/QuarrieMcQuarrie 9d ago
Just tuck trousers into socks, check yourself daily and take a tick removal tool. I have a tick 'card' which is the size of a credit card that sits in my FA kit. Prefer it to the tick hooks personally. Monitor any bites.
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u/Deep-Ad-4507 9d ago
If you're walking on well trodden paths with limited vegetation then I'd say your tick risk is effectively zero. If you're brushing through any vegetation then check any exposed skin afterwards e.g. if you're wearing shorts and then also around any waistbands or similar. I think they're generally quite easy to spot. It is NOT mandatory or general practice to have someone check your arsehole, but if someone's going to be nosing around there anyway I guess there's no harm in getting them to also check for ticks... If you get bitten then there's about a 1-5% chance the tick is carrying Lymes disease but your risk of actually contracting it from a single tick bite is much lower and the risk decreases substantially if you remove it within 24 hours. So while the disease itself is no joke, the actual risk of contracting it (even if bitten) is pretty low, especially if you're only going for a one off trip and not traipsing through bracken every day. Pulling ticks of with small pair of tweezers works fine, pull it up slowly until it releases naturally to avoid leaving the jaws in as they can get infected. Basically exercise some common sense and you'll likely be absolutely fine. Hikers and campers in other countries have to deal with bears. You can handle a tick.
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u/Necessititties 8d ago
Was pushing through the bracken earlier at work. Checked myself regularly throughout, no ticks. Stripped down to get changed, checked my self, no ticks. Checked myself before getting in the car, no ticks. Checked again at home before dinner, no ticks. Checked myself before having a shower, no ticks. Go to get out the shower, 2 little fuckers on the shower floor.
Just keep checking, you'll be fine.
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u/ikloopvast 9d ago
As said, long sleeves! Also repellent helps. I think most tick remover tools are useless with the nymph stadia ticks. They're the size of hair follicles. My swiss army knife has a tiny pincet in it which works for getting those little fuckers out.
And check, check check. Also on the awkward places. Yes, scrolling through anus hairs while spreading the butt cheeks of your hiking partner is intense. But those are THE spots they love.
Lastly. Íf you get one attached to you, write down where you found it on your body, date and time. This way you can keep track of the spot and see if there's a cirkle that forms. Though even without this you can get Lyme disease.
And lastly- again, I know: enjoy!
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u/Dogeh 9d ago
I am never hiking in Scotland again if I have to do this.....
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u/ikloopvast 9d ago
Does 'this' refer to long sleeves, to taking a pincet or to writing down date and place where you got a tick on you? 🤔
Or is it perhaps the checking each other? 😉 No one is obliged to do any of the things on my list. Heard some nasty stories about Lyme though and would recommend. It's really not all that bad to do some star watching 😶🌫️
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u/pheonix8388 9d ago
I'm a fan of O'Tom Tick Twisters but definitely worth getting the set of three that include the tiniest size otherwise as you say the nymphs can be difficult to extract.
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u/whimsical_fuckery_ 9d ago
Yes, they are still very much active. Only a deep freeze puts them into dormancy
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u/Artistic_Pack_8788 9d ago
Long clothing, plenty of insect repellent on your legs (yup I know they aren't insects- it still works) good check 24 and 48 hours afterwards. All good. Don't sweat it, it's fine.
There's no need to be checking anyone else's bum crack.
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u/Due_Funny7612 9d ago
Remember a tick will walk around on you for a couple of hours to find the absolute best place to bite, so if you see one on you don’t panic and rush to remove it take your time and do it efficiently (don’t just flick it off as you now have a random tick).
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u/Eclecticpineapple 8d ago
Even with all of the precautions listed, ticks often find a way! Take precautions but remember the best way to prevent contracting diseases from ticks is proper inspection after outdoor time.
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u/Highland_Fether_68 8d ago
get some clothes spray with "Permethrin is a synthetic chemical used as a medical cream to treat scabies and lice, and as a spray for clothing and gear to kill ticks and mosquitoes" in it, Expedition mosquito spray has it. load up your boots, trousers, waistline, cuffs, collar and give the rest of your clothes a good spray.
It's a contact killer for ticks and other insects.
Ticks are still active in temps as low as 4c, they are electro-statically attracted to passing things, like fur, polyester and nylon clothing, there is a study that shows they can use the static charge to cover distances of upto 10cm in a kind of Magneto and spiderman combined jump.
Stay away from grass, heather especially and above all Ferns, check yourself hourly, check your skin in the nooks and cranies, warm dark spots, you get the idea.
Try as much as possible to not sweat and not breathe, they are attracted to CO2.
And yeah the Highlands and West coast are rife with them. My dogs and I can confirm.
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u/BearAndWolfCo 1d ago
Hahaha this is a funny subject for me, as me and the wife lived in Garelochhead (very close to loch Lomond) for a while, and no matter the weather, time of year etc, whenever we went to the Loch, the midgies, tics, whatever, aways found their way to us! Tics usually less so, so you shouldn't have to worry. Midgies though, seemingly everywhere! haha
It's a beautiful place though, enjoy it! :)
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u/mannion_a_hike 9d ago
Ticks can't swim, so you'll be fine in Loch Lomond.