Arcadia Natonal Park- how bad are the ticks this year?

[LMD]

I know ticks have been bad in the NE this year and am rethinking my trip to Arcadia next July for this reason. Wondering how bad ticks have been in the Arcadia area this year? I have a few friends severely ill due to Lyme and am probably a little paranoid

 

[tonyg]

I haven't heard anything about ticks this year, tho I only spent a week in the area in June. I'll be going again in September whether it is a bad year there or not. Just cover your legs if you are walking in tall grass (over 3" high)and check for hitchhikers when you get to tick-less territory. Never picked up a tick in Maine and we have been going 2 or more weeks a year for the past 10 or so years.

Arcadia is the pirate (or pastafarian) pronunciation of the word Acadia.

 

[missyrcrews]

I live further south in Maine. Haven't heard anything beyond the common wisdom that Tony gave. We're all going to die from something. Take preventive measures, and get out and enjoy the area! Have fun!

 

[WinniWoman]

We live in the woods and vacation in Vermont and New Hampshire every summer. Just use common sense.

I had Lyme once- got it at home- I think when trimming bushes.

Just use common sense and you will be fine. Make sure you use DEET and cover up where necessary.

 

[Dollie]

We live in Maine on the Blue Hill peninsula, west of MDI (Mount Desert Island where the majority of Acadia NP is). Can't say that this year's ticks are any worst than the last several years. We use a permethrin spray on our clothes especially on our pants legs, socks, and shoes. Many of the locals after a day working outside will put their clothes in the dryer. The heat kills the ticks. Remember to check your body, not just your clothes after being out side. There is no reason you can't enjoy the outdoors in Maine, just be aware of the tick possibility.

 

[theo]

I know ticks have been bad in the NE this year and am rethinking my trip to Arcadia next July for this reason. Wondering how bad ticks have been in the Arcadia area this year? I have a few friends severely ill due to Lyme and am probably a little paranoid

Acadia N.P. has not been unusually besieged by ticks this year (or any other year, afaik).
Permethrin spray on boots, socks, pants when hiking is easy and goes a long way toward repelling the little b@$t@*ds.

Weather severity can greatly impact the tick population; speculating now about July of next year is a bit premature.

I have a brother who lives in a part of Massachusetts where the (tick carrying) whitetail deer population is just completely out of control. The tick / Lyme problem is very big there as a direct result. Apparently, there are lots of deer / car collisions there too, causing a great deal of costly vehicle damage and occasional serious personal injury (and it's often a fatal encounter for the deer involved).

I learned recently that wild turkeys love eating ticks and are apparently unaffected by them. Chow down, turkeys!

 

[tonyg]

Just got back from Ellsworth Maine (15 miles from the park) and talked to several people about ticks. It has been a hot and dry summer there and no one said there was anything of a tick problem. Most said they have been a bit more scarce than usual.

 

[theo]

It has been a hot and dry summer there and no one said there was anything of a tick problem. Most said they have been a bit more scarce than usual.

In Maine, ticks have actually become much more of a problem for some four legged mammals than for humans.
Moose, for example, have apparently been impacted to the point of ticks having a negative effect on their population.

I'm told there is an article "Ticks in Maine" in the current issue of DownEast magazine. I've not yet seen or read it.

 

[jonmaiman]

We were there for five days in August and hiked in Acadia. We don't like the chemicals in insect repellents (personal preference); however, we used standard precautions wearing long pants during the hikes. Didn't encounter any ticks during out visit. Another vote for use common sense and go out and enjoy.

--Jon

 

[dmbrand]

We have been to Acadia 7 times since 2010, always the third week of July. We have never had insect problems in the park or at our resort in Southwest Harbor. We don’t even bring repellant. We hike extensively on the trails, swim in the ponds/lakes and spend time every day on our balcony. The park is heavily used by humans, and I think we scare off most of the animals, on which the ticks ride. Please bring anything that makes you feel comfortable to repel them, but don’t let it stop you from seeing the beauty of this national park.

 

[tonyg]

Talking to locals this week, 2019 is a good year for ticks - not so good for hikers. Noticeable ticks being picked from just lawn mowing being reported.

 

[LMD]

Talking to locals this week, 2019 is a good year for ticks - not so good for hikers. Noticeable ticks being picked from just lawn mowing being reported.

Thanks for the update. We are going to make sure we are prepared. I am a little paranoid to say the least. My childhood friend (in her mid 40's) just had a heart transplant due to the co-infections from Lyme.

 

[WinniWoman]

Talking to locals this week, 2019 is a good year for ticks - not so good for hikers. Noticeable ticks being picked from just lawn mowing being reported.

Here in NY we just pulled one off my husbands thigh. A deer tick - very tiny. We think he might have gotten bit while mowing the lawn last evening. He was wearing long jeans and socks and sneakers. And even took a shower afterwards.


It has been raining for like 3 years here. And it’s hard to get the lawn mowed because of that. By the time we have a somewhat dry day to mow, the lawn is very high.

Ripe conditions for ticks. Not to mention herds if deer hang out here.

 

[tonyg]

My grass is high and growing and the rain keeps coming. Maine is having a dreary spring with less rain- one night last week the mosquitoes drove me inside- strange that it was just that one night.

 

[RNCollins]

I live a road over from Mary Ann in NY state. My Mother, Father and two sisters have all contracted Lyme’s Disease. The ticks are out in full force this year. You just go out for a short walk and they get on you.

I have found the following lotion really helpful for ticks and mosquitoes (if you don’t mind using DEET):

 

[WinniWoman]

I live a road over from Mary Ann in NY state. My Mother, Father and two sisters have all contracted Lyme’s Disease. The ticks are out in full force this year. You just go out for a short walk and they get on you.

I have found the following lotion really helpful for ticks and mosquitoes (if you don’t mind using DEET):
View attachment 12571

Yup. Really need to use the DEET. Even when I take walks on the road and pick up the litter- I spray it on before hand.

Also- I stopped hanging my clothes and sheets on the clothesline (yes- some of us still do that in the country. LOL!). I found a dead tick in between our bottom bed sheet and mattress cover when changing the sheets last week

I also contracted Lyme disease a few years ago. Not sure if it was here when I was trimming bushes or when I was over in Woodridge visiting relatives who were camping there.

Meanwhile, today it is once again.....RAINING!!!! UGH!

 

[bobpark56]

"How bad are the ticks?"
Pretty bad. I thought I heard reported that 3 had been drinking too much, two were seen dancing in their underwear, and another was messing around with an underage tick of the same sex.

 

[LMD]

It was pretty hot out most of the week but we wore hiking pants most day, used repellant and stayed in the center of the trails. No ticks The mosquitos were pretty bad all week though. We really enjoyed Acadia and can't wait to return.

 

[tonyg]

Glad you had a great trip. One relative of mine in the Acadia area is a hiker, but he wasn't around for our June trip. That June trip had the one night of this year that the mosquitoes were overwhelming. They did have a rainy and cool spring. We are going back to Maine in September.