Permethrin. What it will and won’t do?

Alas, here at the base of Mt. Chocorua is a highly tick infested area in what has become the Lyme disease capitol of the US.

So I have been using permethrin on my clothing for years, and it is very effective, especially around the socks and pant legs. However, bushwacking exposes the upper body to places where ticks lie in wait, so no more bushwacking. What were bushwacking routes are now winter snowshoe routes only.

Do not use the stuff on my dogs for heaven's sake, who have been innoculated for lyme disease. If only the vaccine for humans had been perfected rather than pulled off the market.

I've found for many years that the Permethrin must be resprayed every hike to be effective. If not, ticks come home with us every time.

During a warm wet spell, we had a profusion of deer tick nymphs last OCTOBER! About half the ticks tested in NH turn up lyme positive. So, they are an increasingly serious problem. There is no point in moving, because every year the deer ticks move further north.

So we stick to the hardened trails in the three warmer seasons. And do more BP in northern Maine, now. The northern section of the Cohos trail is still OK, but don't know how long that will be the case. Quite a change from just a few years ago.

One concern is that I noticed that this year, Walmart and many local chains pulled the Permethrin from their shelves without explanation, and it is becoming more difficult to purchase. It would be useful to know more about toxicity of this stuff.

Sam F.

Yep, I used some treated clothing in Glacier. I'm not sure I got one bite, mosquitos or ticks, through the treated clothing during the entire week. We were sitting in camp with some other people and clouds of mosquitos swarmed all around. Those buggers barely came near us!

Based on a recent experience in Alaska, I think it does a good job with clothing and crawling insects. Unfortunately, it did not help me much where flying insects were able to get to bare skin. I would use it again.

–B.G.–

You're right, Bob. Any exposed skin was on the menu.

so if 10% is good is 36.8% better

From what I understand 0.5% solution in water is plenty. Anything over that is a waste.

Better reapply this amount every few months.

Hadn't thought about soaking my tents, but I'm going to do it now.

Because of the bugs in Ohio, I tend to wear long pants and long-sleeved shirts and a hat that covers my balding pate. I soak everything including the hat and excepting my underwear in Permethrin. Two stories:

Recently, I walked the Lake Vesuvius Backpack Trail. It was so tick-ridden that they were all over my hands, the only exposed part of my body. The Deet on my hands did no good whatsoever, so I had to keep picking them off.

At the campsite, I had scores on deer ticks attached to my socks (my pants were tucked into the socks). Every danged deer tick was deader than h#ll, you betcha.

At Caesar Creek State Park, I was engulfed in skeeters amidst the wet, tall grass as I stopped for a water break and leaned my arm on my trekking pole. I saw one of them land on the cuff of my long sleeve, and as it prepared to try to draw blood, I watched with fascination as it it went into convulsions and died.

Permethrin is available at most big-box stores for a lot cheaper than the spray stuff from outfitters.

Don't handle Permethrin when it's wet (use gloves), and for heaven's sake, keep the stuff away from cats, wet or dry. But god bless the stuff!

Stargazer

I forgot to use permethrin on a little field trip to South Dakota last weekend. While I didn't get any ticks, I got something I think is worse in the short term. I quit counting chiggar bites after I reached 400. It's been a very unpleasant few days.

Lyme is pretty scary. I know a lady here in Texas who had undiagnosed Lyme, and she blames it for a heart attack and several joint problems.

Just wanted to back up Steven's warning about cats. Several years ago I noticed a trail of ants in my living room at home. I searched around for a can of regular bug spray like Black Flag or Raid, but couldn't find any. I did find a can of Permethrin spray that I used for my backpacking clothing and used that instead. It did kill the ants, but it almost killed my marriage also, because my wife's cat got very sick, and in fact almost died. The vet bill was quite impressive. I would never use that stuff inside a house again.

I soaked all my hiking clothing and hat in a 2.5% solution and it worked well in the Wind River Range recently. Mine was originally 10% carpenter ant killer from a big box.

It seems that most outdoors people in my area have had it at one time. The cases that didn't get caught in time have lead to advanced stages, facial paralysis, joint problems, long periods of flue like symptoms and even worse.
The actor, musician, artist John Lurie, an avid outdoors person, has been suffering with advanced Lyme for years.

Deer ticks have proven to be very dangerous and should be feared above rattle snakes, lightning, poisonous spiders, etc…

An update: Spoke to an aquaintance who co-owns a BP equip. store here, and he advised there has been no recall on permethrin. Bought two 6 oz. cans of Repel Permanone, .5% Permethrin. Quite expensive, $8.95 @ can, about $3 more than another brand Walmart was selling, but this store generally undersells the chains, like EMS, by around 20%, so not a problem.

While I am OK with spraying this stuff on the outside of my sox and pant legs for a day hike, being careful to avoid spraying skin; without more information about toxicity, I would not spray it on the side of fabric that would be in contact with my skin, or where I would be likely to inhale it.

Lyme disease has proven to be far more toxic to humans and dogs than Permethrin.

Cats are another thing and although it is harmless to them after the permethrin has set and the clothing washed once. Do not let them come in contact with the liquid or even clothing treated without at least one wash.

I take no chances and keep my hiking clothes in a drawer that they can't get to.