Tick Tubes Studies
“The Village of Fire Island Pines, located on a barrier island off the southern coast of Long Island, was one of the first communities to comprehensively set about lessening its risk of Lyme disease by treating all of its homes with Damminix Tick Tubes.”
“The authors compared the contribution of white-footed mice… chipmunks… and meadow voles… to infection of vector ticks with Lyme disease spirochete…”
Press Coverages
“Damminix… consists of cardboard tubes stuffed with permethrin-treated cotton. The tubes are placed where mice can find them (dense, dark brush) and collect the cotton for lining their nests. The pesticide on the cotton kills any immature ticks that are feeding on the mice.”
He wants ticks to be taken more seriously. “So we developed a strategy of putting pesticide on nesting material that mice use,” says Mather. “They didn’t have ticks anymore.” Leaving out tubes of pesticide-treated nesting material (like cotton) is one of Mather’s three pillars of tick prevention.
Park system's talk of another deer hunt disregards facts. “Deer hunting does not reduce Lyme disease, because the ticks’ main host is mice, not deer. Pesticides such as Damminix that target the ticks directly have proven highly effective in reducing Lyme disease.
I Really Hate Ticks! “Cut Tick Numbers Near Your Home Dramatically! Not all of the ‘deer ticks’ that carry Lyme disease spend part of their life attached to deer, but virtually all of the little nasties DO feed on the white-footed mouse. This gives US an opportunity to kill the ticks while they’re still on the mouse, before they can try and feast on us. One way to do this is with a product called Damminix Tick Tubes. Sold in sets of 24, the cardboard tubes contain cotton balls soaked in permethrin, a pesticide that’s deadly to ticks, but low toxicity to humans. The mice take the cotton balls back to their nests to use as bedding, and the permethrin kills any ticks in the nest.”
Ticks Bite! “You can also buy “tick tubes” and leave them around in the undergrowth. These contain cotton balls that have been soaked in permethrin, an insecticide that is of low toxicity to people, pets, and mice. The mice then use the cotton for nesting material, which kills the ticks.”
Ticked about Lyme disease. North Potomac family urges county to adopt pesticide program for deer. “Mice will bring the cotton back to their nests and kill larval ticks,” she said. “It’s like mice are treating themselves with the lowest amount of chemical needed to do the job.” Rob Gibson, natural resource manager for Montgomery County ” … would encourage communities that feel they have a major problem with ticks to consider projects similar to the one proposed by the Segals.”
Lyme disease is no longer a rarity. “The Rev. Kevin McGhee, a victim of a debilitating bout with Lyme disease, displays one of the tick-killing ‘Tick Tubes’ he and his neighbors distributed near his home.”
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