SANParks.org Forums

We have booked to go to Marakele for the long weekend in Dec. One of my mom's friends was there last weekend and she said they had a real problem with ticks. They covered themselves in Tabard but that didn't even keep them off them. They pulled 8-10 ticks of each child each night and they themselves were covered. I have a little boy who is almost 3 and I have had a tick scare before and don't want to go through this again. The thing is, looks like we will forfeit our entire booking. Surely the ticks will remain in the grass? There is so little grass around the campsite that surely these ticks must have been picked up on bush walks where there is grass? Some advice on this matter will be much appreciated.

O, I cannot comment on Marakele, though I thought the resent fires would have resolved the tick problem.
My reason for reply is that ticks actually don't just sit on grass. They even walk across the ground and you can pick them up that way. If you sit quiet and look carefully, you can see them walking.

Hi

This must be a case of bad luck.
We were also there the previous weekend - 26 of us and not a single tick bite that I have heard about.

My advice would be professional medical advice - there may be a better product on the market.

What I don't understand is the many ticks on one person - userely they bite and you are aware of them being there and pull them off.

(@ Mags: The fires were quite far from the camping ground and did not solve this problem.)

Ticks do seem to prefer some people, just like mozzies.
The factor would seem to be the CO2 levels, but how it works I don't know.

Also watch some trees. Here in Holland they like to sit in Hazel bushes, and drop themselves onto their prey from it.

In use a tin of aerosol spray that you spray on your clothing and it lasts about 2 Washes ( bytacol or something like that ) its quite expensive but lasts a long time. . I bought mine from the camp shop.

Talking about ticks, please do yourself a favour and listen to the programme on the SABC radio , RSG, Sunday mornings 11H30 called "Hoe verklaar U dit" (How do you explain this) Readers put questions, which are dealt with by a panel of experts.

This past Sunday, a question about ticks was asked. Unfortunately I was on the road and didn't here the full story, but as DuQues says, ticks and "tampans" are attracted by or CO2 emissions. To establish the infestation of ticks, the researchers use dry ice, which is frozen CO2. The put it in an empty beer can and bury it in the ground. The next day they dig up the cans and count the ticks.