Well, it finally happened.  I was dozing off  last night, just about to fall asleep, when I felt something crawling on my back.  Nothing makes you jump out of bed quicker, except maybe a calf cramp (I love those too).  As I flipped on the light switch, my worst fear was confirmed.  I had a wood tick on my backside.  The first of the season.  As I grabbed the little creature from hell, I used my nails to bust off his head and flushed him down the toilet.

As he went swirling down the porcelain water slide, it got me thinking.  Growing up I remember my mother picking ticks off of us kids, and just flushing them down the toilet.  Does that actually kill them?  You would think so right?  According to an article on Mosquito Squad, NOPE!   Ticks don't drown, it will probably do the job however, as ticks don't have the capability of climbing back up a porcelain bowl.  You better make sure the little devil goes down the drain in the first place though.

I was traumatized by ticks at an early age.  I remember one of them getting attached to a rather intimate place on my body one time.   That embarrassment, sure left a lasting impression in my mind on of how much I hate those little vampires.

So, what are the best ways to kill ticks?  According to the same article on Mosquito Squad, you shouldn't crush them, so I guess my fingernail method is not the way to go.   You could become inadvertently exposed to the pathogen infecting the tick.  Makes sense.  Burning a tick, is a good way to go.  Just be careful with fire with our dry conditions.  The best way according to the CDC is to submerge the tick in alcohol inside an air tight plastic bag or container.  Who's going to take the time to do that?

It sounds like our dry, warm summer could lead to a long tick season.  Sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs or wood ticks bite.  Just remember, ticks don't drown.


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