Our local county park out here on the east end of Long Island is swarming with ticks. We usually do our local weekender trips 2x a month and it seems like its getting worse every year.On one of the first warm trips last year we found several of them on us and at least a half dozen on my Labrador every day . Luckily he's a yellow so they are easy to spot. However, it got exhausting, and creepy, to be on such high alert the entire time. We did use bug tick repellent and dog's on Fipronil (Frontline).DW said she is NEVER going back to our favorite local campground unless something changes.So I went to Home Depot and bought a $8 bottle of insect yard spray that connects to a hose, and I convinced her to give it one last shot.After we backed in, I sprayed the ENTIRE site. I used the entire bottle. I over sprayed as much as possible and the guy next to me asked to hit his site a bit.I probably did a 50x50 area or more. The woodsy leafy area behind the site got extra spray.The result? Not one tick on us for three days. I saw one on the camp rug. That's it. None on the dog. None on us. We still sprayed deet on our clothes & Used natural spray and oils on the dog. DW uses Rose geranium oil on him and some natural cinnamon lavender-ry spray concoction.Rest of the summer we did it another 5 or 6 times. Worked like a charm everytime.Anyway, not sure if its frowned upon by park management but I really DGAS. I frown on lymes disease so I am using it.

Yep, I do it before the grandkids come especially.

Mfan wrote:Yep, I do it before the grandkids come especially.Good results?

We keep a few cans of Raid yard gaurd spray and before setting up camp, I will spray the area. Not only ticks & fleas, but mosquitoes and gnats are taken care of.

amxpress wrote:We keep a few cans of Raid yard gaurd spray and before setting up camp, I will spray the area. Not only ticks & fleas, but mosquitoes and gnats are taken care of.Plus it kills all the bees and any other pollinator in the area. :S

Yes, nothing on the kids or us. If anyone asks, I just say I'm applying liquid fertilizer

Anyone use insect (tick) yard spray before they set up camp?

Tvov
Explorer II
Apr 24, 2020
We use Frontline or similar product on our dog, works great. Kills ticks, keeps camper and house flea-free.

I've never had an issue with DEET products. I use less powerful spray when I think it will be enough, use more powerful if hiking in woods. Some non-DEET products kinda sorta work, and we have those on hand for people who are anti-DEET.

We do also use a bunch of citronella candles when we are hanging outside at the picnic table at night. I am never sure how well those work... but they smell nice, and anything to help.

I'm of two minds about broadcast spraying insecticide on property you don't own. On one hand, I'm all for killing insects that are out to bite me. On the other hand, I fully agree with people who don't want someone broadcast spraying chemicals right next to them.

My suggestion if you want to spray your campsite would be to check with the campground management, and ask your neighbors - they may very well ask you to spray their site as well.
vipar
Explorer
Apr 24, 2020
DilanYah wrote:
I use both DEET and Permethrin. As mentioned above…

1. DEET is for you (i.e. exposed skin areas — or areas under thin garments)

2. Permethrin — for your clothing (including socks) and gear (e.g. boots, tent)

3. Tick protection from ***Link Removed*** for my lab

It isgreat
thanks
vipar
Explorer
Apr 24, 2020
Is it safe for pets?
doxiemom11
Explorer II
Nov 28, 2019
We usually spray home defense when setting up camp but recently had to use anything we could find for ants! We were in TX and had our first encounter with Argentine Ants ! OMG - you don't ever want them. They have multiple queens with each queen having 1,000 workers. Forgot to spray and in the am our rig had thousands inside on the dash behind the drapes. We were at a COE park and they are working with pesticide companies to find something that will work as a long term deterrent on them, not just kill directly. They were also at the next park we went to. We fought them for a week and made sure we sprayed any time we saw one moving anywhere on the outside of the rig at the 2nd park and avoided infestation. They even drop out of the trees onto the top of the rig -- they don't bite, but go after food with hundreds being on 1 little crumb you miss. On a good note - they are predators for fire ants - will make them move away.
schlep1967
Nomad
Apr 24, 2019
Doing some research on ticks can go a long way. Most ticks survive in their nymph form by living on smaller rodents. Mice and chipmunks for example. There is a product out called Tick Tubes that you put out in your yard. These basically have cotton balls or other fibrous material in them that has been treated with permethrin. The idea is that the little rodents take the fibrous material to use for nesting. This kills off the tick nymphs reducing the population at the source. The commercial tick tubes are not cheap but you can make a very affordable version out of toilet paper tubes/paper towel tubes. Make a few of these up before you go to the problem area. Hide them in protected areas around the campsite. Preferably under a rock or log so they don't get rained on. They won't help you this time. But when you go back there should be a reduction in ticks in the area.
toedtoes
Explorer III
Apr 24, 2019
Wanderlost wrote:
Well said, Crowe, well said.

X2!
Wanderlost
Nomad II
Apr 24, 2019
Well said, Crowe, well said.
Crowe
Explorer
Apr 24, 2019
I've stayed quiet on this subject for fear of causing an uproar but after reading this thread again I am saddened at the number of people who don't care about killing beneficial insects or polluting the environment with insecticides. One poster has even said he would lie to cover up his tracks. Very sad. What makes y'all think you have the right to destroy nature? It's also unfair to gas someone out in a campsite near you who may be asthmatic or allergic to the spray, or for the next family that uses the site. There are a myriad of ways to take personal responsibility to repel bugs from humans and pets. Use them.
colliehauler
Explorer III
Apr 24, 2019
I have been using some all natural yard spray up north, can't remember the name. It smells like lemon. Have used Raid Yard Guard in the past.

There is supposed to be some type of garlic yard spray that will keep mosquitoes away for a month.
Dernhelm
Explorer
Apr 11, 2019
Coming late to this thread, but tick season is still here and flea season is really getting rolling.

We use Frontline on the dogs when we camp because some other brands aren't recommended for dogs prone to seizures. It really works - fun to actually watch the ticks running to get OFF the dog.

We never use essential oils on the dogs - see lots of professional veterinary literature on how hard they are on cats & dogs, especially their livers.

We don't use the tick/flea pills on the dogs for 2 reasons:
The first is that they don't repel the buggers, and I want them to not even attach. The second is that we live in southern Nevada where we simply don't have a problem with them locally. When we lived in Southern CA we used both Frontline and Program with great results.

I use Sawyer permethrin on my clothes. I'm allergic to practically everything and have no trouble with it. I also use DEET sprays (usually OFF or related brands) on myself.

One of my travel mates swears by putting up his tent, spraying the interior with DEET and then having coffee while it settles. He then unrolls his sleeping bag and voila - tick, flea and mosquito free sleeping area.