Entomologist Anyone?

[Ajax]

Well, if it has (or had originally) 8 legs, that would make it a SPIDER.

[shostakovich]

Thanks for the help and the humor. We told the kids about the tick. We assume they are taking care of the situation. But, then, we haven't heard from them this week (GULP). There's been nothing in the paper about a tick swallowing a house, though.

The info we got was "dog tick, possible carrier of Rocky Mt spotted fever". The station sent picture brochures. The engorged tick pic looked like the bod of my little ex-friend. Yet, the legs did not look at all like tick legs to me. They looked like black hairs, and moved something like a millipede's legs. So I'm not convinced the case is closed.

Since I believe in evolution (which I consider simply gradual change into something "different"), my diagnosis is that the creature is a small land version of the ancient trilobite. Any Trilobiologists out there??

Why do I feel itchy reading this thread?
Shos

[Serenity]

Lyme disease was discovered in 1975 in the town of Old Lyme, Connecticut. The disease is a bacterial infection caused by the bites of certain infected ticks, and the ticks are much smaller than the ticks that are commonly found on dogs or cattle. The two most important ticks in Lyme disease are the deer tick in the northeast and north central states, and the western black-legged tick in the West. Although the deer ticks that carry the disease are slowly expanding into new areas, there are three general areas in the U.S. that have the highest incidence rate of Lyme disease: the East-coastal states of Massachusetts, the noth central states of Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Michigan, and northern California.

In nature, the Lyme disease bacteria exist in a cycle that involves ticks and small animals. Particularly implicated in Lyme disease are the wild white-footed mouse in the east, and the wood rat in California. Once these rodents become infected, they can spread the disease to the many immature ticks that will likely feed upon them. Adult ticks prefer to feed upon the larger animals, instead of the rodents and small animals preferred by immature ticks. The adult ticks are particularly fond of deer, but as deer are resistent to Lyme infection, their function in the lyme disease cycle is to carry ticks into new areas. Birds may also be responsible for transporting these ticks into new areas.

Lyme disease is not transmitted from person to person. It is only transmitted from ticks to humans, and the infected ticks can also transmit the disease to dogs, cats, and horses. These animals cannot transmit Lyme bacteria to humans, but they can carry ticks on their bodies, increasing their chances of getting infected by the ticks, and increasing the chances of those ticks infecting humans. Ask your veterinarian about appropriate products that will prevent tick infestation for your pet.

The first sign of Lyme disease in humans is usually a characteristic rash, called erythema migrans, which expand outward from the site of the tick bite between 3 and 30 days after the bite. The rash is flat, circular, and is often as large as 2 inches in diameter. As the rash expands, it may begin to take on the appearance of a bull's eye. Infected persons may also experience flu-like symptons, including fever, headache, fatigue, and muscle aches. Persons treated with antibiotics at this stage of infection are likely to make a quick recovery and be competely cured. Persons who do not receive early treatment can develop problems involving the heart, joints and/or nervous system.

[Serenity]

Best way to eat cicadas:

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/03/0330_040330_cicadafacts.html#main

[Selma in Sandy Eggo]

Originally posted by Serenity:
Best way to eat cicadas:

Gross. I'm pleased that they are restricted to areas east of the plains. I'm more pleased to be in an area west of the plains.

[piqaboo]

Deep fried, with garlic/lemon sauce.

[shostakovich]

It's just one reason we're vegetarians.
Shos & Spouse

[Serenity]

Sprinkle deep fried on your salad like croutons. I wouldn't consider bugs a "meat", just a source of protein, like beans.

[The Great Carouser]

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

In a TMI article in our daily paper, they pointed out that some gourmet who'd sauteed 30-40 of the little delicacies had an allergic reaction and was treated with antihistamines, steroids, and adrenaline. They now suggest you see a doctor before eating them. (They didn't distinguish which type of doctor for those of you thinking "psychiatrist").

<small>[ 05-19-2004, 09:17 AM: Message edited by: The Great Carouser ]</small>

[Serenity]

That time of year is back! Tick season! Uggh! So far, I have found 3 on the dog in the last month and I had to go to the doctor because I got bit by one; now I'm on antibiotic.

I feel gross, repulsed and itchy all day! The one I found on the dog this morning was the size of a small blueberry It fell off after a little pulling with tweezers. Apparently, the tick medicine I give my dog kills the tick but it was still attached and full of blood.

I think this may be a bad tick season. Has anyone else heard reports?

[barfle]

My wife has been doing a lot of gardening and has found two on her over the past month, only one of which was actually on her skin but not attached yet. I don't think I've gotten any so far, and since the cats don't go outside, they seem clear.

But that makes it a tough season already.

[Selma in Sandy Eggo]

Gross. I'd be down at the garden store already, buying gallons of insecticide concentrate and one of those pressurized wand sprayers and then probably poisoning myself and the rest of the neighborhood, too. Yeccch! Bugs!!!

[Nicole Marie]

Serenity, get Frontline for your pets. I love this product. Once a month you dab the Frontline on the back of your dog or cat and it absorbs in the skin. During the month all fleas and ticks stay away from your pet. Fleas and ticks hate the product and stay up to 100 feet away from kitty. I use it on my guys and they have never had a flea or tick. It also keeps mosquitoes away too. Mosquitoes can give your pet Heartworm.

You have to get it from your vet. Some animals can get a little sick from it at first so the maker suggests seeing your vet if your animal has never used it before. It works like a charm! (Now if they just made it for humans...)

[Trumpetmaster]

Serenity,
Yes! H.R.H. is correct. We use Frontline for our dog and it work wonders!
TM

[piqaboo]

Now if I could just catch the darn cat to put it on her.... she's had it before and she hates the administration of it.

OT, maybe those weedy daisys can just stay dead in the yard. Firehazard seems less icky than tickbait. :ewwww:

[Serenity]

Nicole,

My dog has Frontline Plus that we applied May 1st! There were 2 ticks on her 2 weeks ago (one week after application) and the one I found this morning was dead but gorged (EEEWW!). I'm checking the package for an expiration date but can't find one, only a lot number. Maybe it's an old lot....(can't be, I bought it last summer)What?.....oh no!


MADE IN FRANCE!

Mer!

[Angie Parkes]

Originally posted by Serenity:
MADE IN FRANCE!

Mer!

If the tick business happened to me, I'd be more likely to say, "Merde!"

Jeepers -- ticks, demolition gophers -- I wonder how you folks put up with it all. There are no fleas in Calgary, too high and too dry, and ticks are only a problem if you go hiking in the mountains in the spring. The gophers are little and cute and stay out of gardens.

Why on earth would you put up with all those pests? Oh, I remember, it gets down to -40 here! Right. I knew there was hitch to this pest-free stuff.

[Selma in Sandy Eggo]

Angie, if they're little and cute and they stay out of gardens, they're not what we call gophers.

Our wretched lawn burrowers are "pocket gophers" and apparently some people call ground squirrels gophers, too. Our pocket gophers are bad-tempered, rather solitary, and have short tails. The ground squirrels have more tail, are a lot cuter, and have buddies.

I haven't noticed ticks locally. (Quick, knock wood!) Fleas we have, in abundance. They're so ubiquitous that the carpet cleaners offer anti-flea treatments to keep 'em from breeding indoors.

[piqaboo]

We had wicked fleas (inherited from last owner) til we had the yard sprayed, and portions of the house. YUCK!

We have both pocket gophers and ground squirrels. I've seen em. Heck, I've flooded em both out of their holes. Yes, our lawn is good practical exercise in keeping ones balance on an uneven and ever changing surface.

[FlyingSorcery]

I guess I'll just consider myself one of the group. We have pocket gophers in abundance (a whole new set of tunnels this morning), but instead of fleas, we get ants. We had fleas at our last place and there is NOTHING worse. NOTHING. Except maybe ticks, but, touch wood, we've never had that problem.