[Ru]

Hmm. Been recently thinking I should start carrying a tick thingy. Something like this?

I think this type is better as you can see that the grippy bits are going under the tick - quite easy to squash the tick with the other sort as they cover the hole tick. Squashing the tick squeezes their stomach juices (and any diseases) into you.

https://www.lifesystems.co.uk/products/insect-repellents/tick-remover

[Bradders]

Not sure if this is correct, maybe someone can add clarity, but I do remember reading that, if you get them out within the first 12hrs you are usually okay? Something about that Lyme disease being released when the Tick is trying to release itself from you?

Yeah that's right. Might be longer actually but sooner better.

[T_B]

Big Moor.

Parked on A621 (Owler Bar - Baslow Rd). Crossed gate and walked parallel with wall in southerly direction from lay-by at SK 282 757 down to the other lay-by with white gate where you walk into Bar Brook Stone Circle/swimming spot on the big track. Picked up quite a few ticks in the long grass beside the wall.

[Johnny Brown]

Cheers. Numbers really seem to have jumped up this year.

[Bonjoy]

The moors from Blackamoor down to the Curbar road seems to be the worst place for them. Not surprising given the large red deer population I guess.

[mrjonathanr]

Not sure if this is correct, maybe someone can add clarity, but I do remember reading that, if you get them out within the first 12hrs you are usually okay? Something about that Lyme disease being released when the Tick is trying to release itself from you?

Yeah that's right. Might be longer actually but sooner better.

My understanding is that while they are feeding, fluid goes from you to them so there is no risk. that could be 24 hrs or more. when they drop off, they leave a little bit of fluid and that is when infection can occur. if you distress them when trying to get them off, they will regurgitate some of their stomach contents into you. Best avoided!

[M1V0]

Hmm. Been recently thinking I should start carrying a tick thingy. Something like this?

I think this type is better as you can see that the grippy bits are going under the tick - quite easy to squash the tick with the other sort as they cover the hole tick. Squashing the tick squeezes their stomach juices (and any diseases) into you.

https://www.lifesystems.co.uk/products/insect-repellents/tick-remover

I have this exact tick remover, as they seem to be running rampant around South Lakes Lime. It's a good tool, but sometimes it lacks the tension to pull the tick out by itself, so some fiddling around to pull the plunger up whilst taking a tick out is needed, but does an effective job.

[sidewinder]

Couple of weeks ago Mrs sidewinder and I got lots on trousers both ways to walnut boulder (low approach) think all removed before they found flesh

[SamT]

Ironically - I was sat last evening catching up with UKb and reading this very thread with a beer having just got back from a work trip to the lakes (that conveniently included a quick idyllic sunset evenings bouldering at St Bee's  )

Not ten minutes later, I noticed something on my knee, which was a tick!

Not sure how long it had been on me, didn't seem like it was 24 hours as it was still absolutely tiny.

Got the old https://www.lifesystems.co.uk/products/insect-repellents/tick-remover out and whipped it off.  No bullseye rash yet, but a bit sore and itchy.

I've got the tick in cellotape - should I send it somewhere??

[tomtom]

Just to flag up (just bought one) they have a compact folding version of the tick tool for £3

https://www.lifesystems.co.uk/products/insect-repellents/tick-remover?sku=34022

Free P&P and there was 15% off with a popup voucher on the site today....

[Mr_Cus]

Found a big bugger walking cross our kitchen floor the other week - obviously filled up then dropped off the dog.  He had been treated against ticks already but this one somehow had a good feed anyway...   Think he got it from either houndkirk moor or the woods near grindleford (spooner lane).


Early this week my daughter (2yo) had a tiny tick bite her next to her eye.  It was really small and i think she picked this up from rolling down a bank on freshly cut grass at millhouses park. Managed to get it off quite easily.  Hoping she hasnt got lyme disease!

[Johnny Brown]

Christ, Millhouses park would be concerning! You don't think it might have come off the dog?

[Mr_Cus]

Christ, Millhouses park would be concerning! You don't think it might have come off the dog?

I guess it could've but we'd been outside most of the day and she hadn't been near him that much. Only noticed it after the hill rolling but I guess that could've been coincidence or she got unlucky and it came off a dog then onto her from the grass. We're a bit tick paranoid now....

[Ru]

Just pulled one off the cat. First I've seen locally.

[andy popp]

Found one on my upper thigh after I got out of the sea this morning (so, umm, not the Peak). Suppose I must have got it walking through long grass down to the beach. No bullseye, soreness or itchiness. The area is full of red deer.

Growing up I spent most my life out in the countryside and don't remember once hearing of, being warned about, or encountering ticks. Ditto all my years climbing in the Peak. Is this a new phenomenon, and if so why?

[Bonjoy]

It feels like it to me. Never saw one in the Peak till 2018. Never used to see red dear either though.

[SA Chris]

Found one on my upper thigh after I got out of the sea this morning (so, umm, not the Peak). Suppose I must have got it walking through long grass down to the beach. No bullseye, soreness or itchiness. The area is full of red deer.

You see earlier note about keeping dead ones in case you get a reaction, so it can be tested if needed?
My brother and a mate both picked them up walking in long coast grass on Lindisfarne, not a place where you would expect to find much wildlife.

[haydn jones]

I've never seen a tick in my life until this year  and I've done a lot of bushwhacking !). saw 2 in the last week, not in the peak mind you.

[bigironhorse]

Growing up I spent most my life out in the countryside and don't remember once hearing of, being warned about, or encountering ticks. Ditto all my years climbing in the Peak. Is this a new phenomenon, and if so why?

I think I have read that milder winters are allowing their range to expand northwards. I've also think that prolonged dry weather seems to be their preferred climate. Here in Austria I was getting bitten everytime I went bouldering a few months back - and it had barely rained for months. Now that the weather is more humid and showery I havn't seen one for about 6 weeks.

[JohnM]

It sounds like it has been a record year in Austria according to reports from dog owners. Like bigironhorse said the mild winter and then the dry period during April dries out the trees and improves the survival rate of tick eggs. I have had at least 10 ticks this year. I can't remember getting any last year. I had a couple of days of very bad fatigue and joint aches a couple of weeks back and was instantly worried I had picked up Lymes or even worse TBE/FSME. Luckily my blood test came back normal and I tested negative for FSME. I just had my second FSME vaccine yesterday so hopefully I should have some immunity now for this season. I am not sure if TBE/FSME is even a problem (yet) in the UK though but cases are increasing in Austria.

[mrjonathanr]

A couple of cases have been seen in southern UK apparently https://www.gov.uk/government/news/tick-borne-encephalitis-virus-detected-in-ticks-in-the-uk

[webbo]

I was up at the Bridestones in Dalby Forrest last week with my daughter and her 2 dogs. One of which is a white long haired German Spitz, we must has picked 30 or more ticks off him while we were there. Ever time he went in to the bracken there would be some on home, fortunately they didn’t get chance to bite. She did find a couple that had attached later and one on the other dog.

[Ru]

I am not sure if TBE/FSME is even a problem (yet) in the UK though but cases are increasing in Austria.

You can get vaccinated against TBE, available through travel vaccine clinics in the UK. I had one a few years back for going to Germany. However I do know someone that had exactly the same vaccine and had a bad reaction at the injection site (which is still red and swollen 6 years later).

[JohnM]

You can get vaccinated against TBE, available through travel vaccine clinics in the UK. I had one a few years back for going to Germany. However I do know someone that had exactly the same vaccine and had a bad reaction at the injection site (which is still red and swollen 6 years later).

I had my second one here in Austria yesterday. I just didn't know whether it was offered in the UK. From what I read, it is available, but not via the NHS. I still have to pay 31 Euros per dose and need three over a year as the full cost is not covered by my insurance. Still, I would rather pay than risk contracting TBE despite the risk being relatively small. I was just kicked into action by shear number of ticks I was getting. Every time I left the house at one point! I didn't want to keep rolling that dice. I am obviously still at risk from Lyme's but I would hope that if I spotted that early it could be shifted by antibiotics before any chronic issues could develop.

Luckily I have had no issues so far with the vaccine except the usual achy deltoid. I think injection site flare-ups and scar tissue development can be an issue with many vaccines in certain people unfortunately. 

[SA Chris]

I think I have read that milder winters are allowing their range to expand northwards.

I don't think this is the case in the UK, they have been rife in Scotland for a long time, with some hotspots like Rum, but I've got them anywhere in Scotland where there is wildlife present, as far east as Deeside.