I rewarded myself for hard thesis work today by a trip to the bulk store. I got candy corn (yeah I'm pro-candy corn), gummy bears, licorice all sorts, pistachios, and wasabi peas.

I could, right now, make the weirdest trailmix in existence.

Unfortunately for the world, I am a scientist and had to create it.

@ospreyonthemoon

The aforementioned cursed trailmix.

I know I post a lot of microscopic stuff but does anyone want to see some cute algae visible to the naked eye?

LOOK AT IT!

I'm trying to write a post about tick safety and avoiding tick bites, but a lot of the info on websites is like "Avoid going in the woods, in plants, and where there are wild animals" and "Activities like hiking and gardening can put you at risk" and I'm like thanks! This is worthless!

As ticks and tick borne illnesses are expanding their range, I think it's important for people to be educated about these things, and I think it's especially important to give people actual advice on how to protect themselves instead of telling them to just...avoid the natural world

Rough draft version of Tick Advice:

The above is useful for figuring out whether an area is likely to have lots of ticks, and how vigilant you have to be in that area.

If you're careful, you can usually catch ticks before they bite you, but if one does bite you, it's not the end of the world. Since tickborne diseases are different regionally i suspect this advice will differ based on where you are, but the important thing is remove the tick with tweezers (DON'T use butter, a lit match, or anything that kills the tick while it's still attached, please) and contact a doctor to see what to watch for. Most illnesses you can catch from ticks are easily treatable if you recognize them when symptoms first appear

Also, don't assume that just because you weren't in tall grasses you don't need to be checked.

Some advice from a former camp counselor:

- If you’re camping, check your towels, blankets, and anything else you’ve hung up before letting it touch your body. Ticks are drawn to wet towels and find it an easy jump to a person.

- If you’re out with a dog, check them over thoroughly before you pet them. Anti-tick medication can kill ticks that attach to your dog, but they can still hitch a ride on fur and then jump on you. Consider getting an outdoor comb and wear gloves while checking.

- Invest in a pair of fine-tipped tweezers to remove ticks. There are a ton of special “tick removal” tools that will work, but they’re essentially a riff on a basic set of fine-tipped tweezers. The fine tip allows you to pull a tick off without killing it while it’s attached. Standard, blunt-edged tweezers for eyebrows don’t work as well, because they can crush the tick’s body and release germs into your skin at the bite site.

- If you have a tick on or near your genitals, just go to a doctor. Just...just do it. Trust me. I’ve seen this happen. Do not engage with the junk tick.

- When you need to remove a tick, grasp it firmly with your tweezers as close to the skin as you can get it. If you can, grasp it under the head. Pull straight up - do not twist the tick. That’s going to be your best bet to pull it all off without leaving the head or mouth embedded.

- If you do break the tick, leave the mouth alone - don’t dig in to get it, since that can break your skin more and cause infection. Without the tick attached, the mouth should eventually fall off. If it doesn’t within a day or so, call a doctor.

- Disinfect, disinfect, disinfect. I’d recommend hitting the area with rubbing alcohol several times.

- Keep the tick in a plastic bag in your freezer or fridge. It’s gross, but if you start having any illness symptoms, it can be helpful for your doctor to have the tick itself.

- Watch for a rash on the site, a fever, chills, or body aches. If you experience anything like that, go to an urgent care or hospital.

- Don’t panic! Lyme disease is treatable. The quicker you get medical treatment, the less likely that you’ll have significant long-term effects.

Speaking as a long time outdoorsman this is all great advice. I’ll add one thing: in the past many places have had traditional tick seasons. Be aware that these seasons are shifting and expanding due to global climate change. I’ve spent a lot of time in the central Rocky Mountains and traditionally tick season was early to mid spring. That has shifted to late winter in the valleys and ranges to mid summer at higher altitudes.

Additionally, tick species ranges and the tickborne illness ranges have also been shifting because of climate change. Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever used to be moderately common in the Rockies and has expanded east.

Teal deer: don’t rely on traditional information, verify seasons and ranges before assuming you’re safe.

I've spent pretty much my whole career in the woods and this is all great advice but I would like to add a couple things ive learned from experience: when you remove a tick, especially if it's alive enclose it in a piece of scotch tape. It kills the tick but also keeps anything it might regurgitate enclosed too. Then you're going to write the date you found the tick on that tape before you put it in the fridge/freezer, as mentioned above. This will be very helpful if you do get sick because it helps create a timeline while keeping the tick and any fluids perseved for testing. If you notice any tickborn illness symptoms like rash etc, take the tick in with you to be tested.

Also, do NOT try and kill the tick while it's still attached. I have seen people do some crazy stuff to try and get a tick off. Don't put rubbing alcohol on the tick, nail polish and definitely do not hold a match to it. These "tricks" can actually cause the tick to regurgitate while attached to you and increase the likelihood of infection and tickborn illness. Those fine tipped tweezers, as mentioned above, are the best option, then you go in with the disinfectant after the tick is removed.

Stay safe!

FYI also, a tick bite doesn’t instantaneously infect you with a tick-borne disease. It takes upwards of 6-8 hours for disease transmission. So check yourself for ticks as soon as you can after being out, but don’t panic if you find one embedded after a relatively short about of time.

And keep your pets on tick prevention year-round, and I do mean the FDA-approved stuff you get at your vet. Do not trust over the counter or homeopathic stuff. It will not work. If you have concerns for side effects, speak to your vet. We are experts on this.

January - March reading summary!

Currently reading: Silver Under Nightfall, Eldest, and The Odyssey translated by Emily Wilson.

I just finished Silver Under Nightfall and now have a massive book-shaped hole in my heart. Can't start the next one yet but I need audiobook recommendations to cure this book hangover.