Showering/Tick Survery

[Joshua Szulecki]

Note: By attract or not attract lots, I mean more or less than members of your hiking party.

[sam4msu]

I guess it depends on whether my hike and my weekly shower fall on the same day!!!  Actually, I almost never shower before a hike and I do not seem to attract many ticks.

[Suz]

Last hike, I showered, and had 12 ticks...I also led, members of my party had none, except Sam who found one in the woods.  So, I think leading has something to do with it.  When we bushwhack, everyone gets them, on the trail, I think the leaders get the brunt of it.  I also had garlic for lunch!!

[Grounded]

I think I just smell.   Like smoke and food and lake water, sunscreen etc...... No ticks this time

[Nalgene Ninja]

Neither DW and I showered the day we started out recent 2-day trip (report later in my blog). We took sponge baths at our overnight stop. The next day I used a Off wipe and DW didn't. She did lay down in some tall grass at one of our hiking stops the 2nd day and had 10 ticks on her that night. I had 3, but they weren't biting. So whether it was the OFF or the smarts to avoid the grass or both, I don't know.

[Rigormortis]

Do not sit on a large rock in early spring, this rock absorbs heat and this will draw ticks to the rock.  I got 13 on me at one time around my waist when I sit on a rock last spring.

[Cuffs]

Is this applied to day hiking or long distance?  Or both?  I shower before both so that I am as clean as I will be for the day/week.  I always get tick on my sock when day hiking at OMSP.  Other than there, I have never had/seen a tick on me.  That includes Sipsey, Cheaha, Pinhoti, during trial maintenance, BMT, AT and on all long distance trips.  I dont know what it is about OMSP...

[mich4076]

Ticks havn't bothered me too much this year... the only things that have are Mosquitos and Fleas. Our cats are indoors yet they are still driving all of us mad!!!

[PastorLarryT]

Unusual question Joshua, but I can see a correlation. 

I don't usually shower the morning before a solo, day hike - I wait until I get back.  Before a longer hike or with a group I always shower before.  I have never noticed any difference in the number of ticks attracted.  I do not use perfumed soaps or aftershave, etc. and I DO normally use a combo sunscreen/insect repellent.  Long pants are also the norm on my hikes along with a tick inspection.  Sometimes I do find ticks on my pants legs or socks and a few times I have found them crawling on me (yuk!).  Only once have I had to remove one (thankfully!).  I also try to avoid bushwhacking, tall grass, etc. during the warmer months.