Tarp camping, ticks, and household bug spray?

[passengerplanetearth]

Hi!

I'll be sleeping on the ground in a high-tick area in Holland soon. I have deet but I am very worried about Lyme disease and was thinking of treating my clothing and sleeping bag with permethrin. Unfortunately the permethrin sprays available in the US and elsewhere on Amazon are not available in the EU.

Permethrin can be found however in household bug spray cans. I'm considering using that to treat my clothing and sleeping bag. The spray I've found contains 0.05% Tetramethrin and 0.25% Permethrin.

Does anyone have any ideas, advice, experience or other input?

Be glad to hear it!

 

[richy3333]

Best bet is to tether an unaffected deer (or failing that a sheep nearby) and hope the ticks make a B line for them

Are you in a bivi bag or similar? Can you hang or suspend clothing to minimise the risk?

 

[Nomad64]

The UK is still in the EU and there are plenty of clothing specific permethrin spray treatments available here which have 1.2% in and are specially designed for clothing unlike bug spray.

http://www.purpleturtle.co.uk/acatalog/Permethrin_Fabric_Spray_for_Repelling_Insects.html

I've also got some concentrated (12%?) solution intended to be further diluted for mossie net treatment, also bought in the UK (albeit a while ago), so you should have no problem find g what you need.

Good luck with your trip.

Edit: Sorry just noticed that the link I posted is for 0.49% concentration for clothes, here is one for 1.2% for nets.

http://www.purpleturtle.co.uk/acatalog/LifeSystems-EX8-Mosquito-Net-Treatment---50ml-10776.html#SID=472

Can't immediately find any of the concentrate for sale but it is (or at least was) available, a while back when someone posted a similar question.

 

[passengerplanetearth]

Hi Nomad64 - I've checked out your links, very useful and I'll probably go for that despite the shipping charges. Double the strength of the household bug spray, twice the cost too, but as you say, better use something made for the job, all other things being equal.

Thanks for you time!

Richy3333 - normally for a bivibag I use the gutted, steaming, freshly slaughtered carcass of a buffalo if there's one handy. I considered your hanging or suspending clothing idea but to be honest my only clothing, I'll be wearing, and I'd feel a bit silly, hanging there. Not sure how it would help, to be honest.

 

[Nomad64]

Some more choices on this parallel thread - C_Claycomb found the stuff I was looking for - 50ml of 11.2% concentrated for £8 from Nomad Travel - no connection!

http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=146383&p=1825653#post1825653

 

[Janne]

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