It’s summer and repelling pests (no, not your in-laws) becomes important as you head out to enjoy nature or simply the back yard. Increasingly important is how do we avoid ticks in a community overrun by deer? Deer ticks carry Lyme disease which can be a life altering experience. I treat a lot of Lyme patients and so my personal sensitivity to avoiding ticks is very high.
The classic bug repellent has always been DEET (N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide. Its labeled by the FDA as “generally safe if PROPERLY used” but this does not inspire my confidence. DEET is listed as a neurotoxin and many of us would prefer a more natural option. Well, say hello to a better alternative, “Ticks-N-All” tick and insect repellant. This is an all-natural product that contains 11 different active ingredients mixed in a blend of coconut oil and citrus extract. One spray application will last roughly 4 hours and repel not only ticks but all sorts of biting insects. It is extremely safe for kids and even pets. I consider this a summer essential as I live near (actually IN) the woods and love hiking and everything outdoors.
To further increase the safety of my yard and environment I have placed “tick tubes” around the perimeter of my woods near the house. “Tick Tubes” are simply toilet paper rolls stuffed with cotton or lint that have been soaked in Permethrin, an insecticide that kills ticks. Ticks breed inside of the nests of mice. Mice find the permethrin soaked fibers and carry them back to their nest. Permethrin is not harmful to mice nor mammals including you but is deadly to ticks. This process can reduce the number of ticks in your yard by 90%. See my video on “How to make Tick Tubes”.
The time of year to place these tubes is during mouse breeding season which is April and July. Those mice are busy making party plans right now so get your tubes in place. Enjoy your summer, protect yourself with Ticks-N-All as you take in the great outdoors.
