dealing with ticks

[Chuck-crisler]

Do others have problems with ticks in their vineyards? If so, how do you deal with them? Here in New England they are pretty bad and generally carry Lyme and many other very nasty diseases.

I use Ortho Bug-b-gone Max. According to the label it is effective against ticks and can be used around vegetables, no mention of fruit trees or vineyards. I have used it twice a year for 4 years. I put down the first application in early April and the second at the end of July (the label claims 3 month effectiveness). That gives me complete coverage and it works well (or something does). I got my first tick bite in 4 years this past year because I was late putting it down due to bad weather. BTW - I have had Lyme disease twice and my dog has had it (and a couple of others) 2-3 times. A good friend's son had it for almost 10 years before it was diagnosed and he is really messed up. It is a bad disease and you can die from the complications.

 

[dwhill40]

Google guinea fowl. They are ugly and dumb and make hellacious squawking sounds but ticks and fleas and pretty much any bug that moves will be gone when you get a flock established. They make great "watch dogs" as well. I've read the Australians use them a good bit in their vineyards.

 

[DoctorCAD]

Had the pleasure of visiting a small private winery last month.

They were getting a load of Guinea fowl in to control ticks. The breeder told us that a guinea fowl can eat its weight in ticks every day!

Once they learn their boundries, by penning them in at every boundry, they will stay close to home. Also, they need very sturdy night protection. The winery was getting new ones after a fox or coyote tore the roof off their pen and killed 12 of them.

 

[ThePrisoner]

Do others have problems with ticks in their vineyards? If so, how do you deal with them? Here in New England they are pretty bad and generally carry Lyme and many other very nasty diseases.

I use Ortho Bug-b-gone Max. According to the label it is effective against ticks and can be used around vegetables, no mention of fruit trees or vineyards. I have used it twice a year for 4 years. I put down the first application in early April and the second at the end of July (the label claims 3 month effectiveness). That gives me complete coverage and it works well (or something does). I got my first tick bite in 4 years this past year because I was late putting it down due to bad weather. BTW - I have had Lyme disease twice and my dog has had it (and a couple of others) 2-3 times. A good friend's son had it for almost 10 years before it was diagnosed and he is really messed up. It is a bad disease and you can die from the complications.

Out of interest, why would a vineyard attract ticks?
...or is your vineyard attracting deer maybe and the deer are dropping off the ticks?

 

[cooldood]

Had the pleasure of visiting a small private winery last month.

They were getting a load of Guinea fowl in to control ticks. The breeder told us that a guinea fowl can eat its weight in ticks every day!

Once they learn their boundries, by penning them in at every boundry, they will stay close to home. Also, they need very sturdy night protection. The winery was getting new ones after a fox or coyote tore the roof off their pen and killed 12 of them.

I am sure they eat a lot of bugs but their body weight in tics per day seems impossible to me.
http://www.examiner.com/article/no-solid-evidence-that-guinea-fowl-control-tick-populations

 

[djrockinsteve]

Growing up on a farm we had to deal with them buggers. We kept the grass around the home and orchards cut low. Ticks are just searching for a host and like thick grass and woods.

The worst part of my summers. Ticks.

 

[DoctorCAD]

I am sure they eat a lot of bugs but their body weight in tics per day seems impossible to me.
http://www.examiner.com/article/no-solid-evidence-that-guinea-fowl-control-tick-populations

Well, the breeder WAS trying to sell chicks, and we all know sales people never lie!