I'll throw in one bit of info in case no one has mentioned it.   Most 
folks use a repellent with Deet.  To repel ticks the repellent needs to 
be at least 30% DEET.   DEET is actually not a very good tick repellent 
and even with high % it will only last for a couple of hours so it needs 
to be re-applied fairly often to be effective. 

A MUCH better alternative for folks like birders who are out a lot in 
tick areas is a repellent called Permethin.   There are several brand 
names including.   This repellent can only be applied to clothing and 
must dry for at least 2 hours before you where them.   It will last for 
up to 6 weeks and can be washed a couple of times without losing it 
repelling properties.  What I have done for years now is have a set of 
field clothes that are treated with Permethrin and those are the clothes 
I wear in the field.   The repellent kills ticks and I have had ticks 
that crawled up under my pants bite me but by the time I got home and 
checked the tick was still there but stone dead and just brushed off.

Here is a link to one product available at Walmart made by repel.  
http://www.drugstore.com/products/prod.asp?pid=153116&catid=10539
Enjoy and stay  tick free!!

Rob Gibbs
Damascus

Rich Dolesh wrote:
> Don't know if anyone mentioned it yet, but the characteristic and 
> oft-described "bulls-eye" is reported to be a symptom only about 40% 
> of the time.  If you have other unexplained symptoms, don't dismiss 
> Lyme disease as a possibility just because you have no bulls-eye mark.
>
> Rich Dolesh
> Aquasco, MD
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "David and Sandi Gersten" 
> <>
> To: <>
> Sent: Monday, June 23, 2008 9:41 PM
> Subject: [MDOSPREY] Off Topic - Lyme
>
>
> My doctor diagnosed me today with Early Lyme Disease.  I had been feeling
> fatigued and achy for a few days and then I noticed a red circle about
> quarter size on my back.  It grew to fist sized the next day and the pain
> remained and localized to my joints.  Other symptoms have been minor 
> so far.
> Thankfully I'm on antibiotics now before anything chronic or debilitating
> manifested.  I suspect everyone here is already concerned well enough 
> about
> ticks.  When I am outdoors with my kids I use deet, tuck my trousers 
> in my
> socks and am pretty good about checking for ticks on everyone when we 
> return
> to my car or indoors.  So I set a good example for others but tend 
> towards
> thinking I'm still indestructible when alone.  Certainly learned my
> lesson...
>
>
>
> Now, as for where the little bug that got me came from, I've birded in 
> the
> past ten days at Blue Mash, Hughes Hollow, Layhill Park, some private
> locations in Loudoun County, VA and about fifteen locations in 
> Michigan.  I
> am most suspicious of my trips to Layhill Park and Michigan since I 
> was not
> wearing bug juice in Layhill and it likely wore off throughout the day
> during my trip to Michigan.  I didn't see deer in Michigan but they 
> are all
> over Layhill and surrounding areas.
>
>
>
> Hope this helps keep everyone vigilant.
>
>
>
> ____
>
>
>
> David Gersten
>
> Silver Spring, MD
>
>