Ticks and Ant bites

I probably have one of the fewest jobs in the museum world where you have to worry about ticks or ants.

Last time we went to Fernland (it was an awful long time ago, guessing maybe late January) the weather had been really rainy and wet beforehand. So we were talking that when we get back we should check ourselves for ticks. After we got back and got off work I went home and took a shower. Check everywhere very thoroughly. (You can never be too safe!) But even if I had gotten one, I would have known what to do. I didn't get one though, YAY!

Enter high school and thank you mom. I got a tick twice one summer. I was working out in our back yard for about an hour. Went in side to shower and there was the little bugger on my leg. Called my mom and here is what you are supposed to do: 1f there is a chance it hasn't been attached long. You just need to push it out using your thumb nail from the opposite direction it came in very slowly. Best to do this after you have been in a shower a while so your skin is moist and soft. Head and body should come out attached. Then clean the area and put Neosporin on it straight away. Keep it clean.

However, if it has been in there longer than a few hours you'll have to do this. Some people say attacking it with a pair of heated tweezers does the trick. Though there is a chance that the head won't come out with the body. The best thing to do is to smother the tick and area it is attached with Vaseline and then put a band aid over it. The Vaseline will suffocate the tick and it will back out on it's own. That's where the band aid comes in to capture it so it doesn't come off and roam around your house. Then clean the area and put Neosporin on it straight away. Keep it clean.

Now for the ant bite part. I was working in the garden today with Mike and David. Weeding the rows to get ready to plant some tomatoes, bell peppers and cucumber. Well I didn't realize it but in one of the rows, right where I had decided to place a tomato plant was a tiny ant home, wasn't even a hill really. Didn't realize it until I felt a sting on my hand and presto, there the sucker was. Actually there were 3 on my hand. Started to itch really bad. Backed away and luckily was done planting the tomato plant. Only in this job would I have to watch out for that. LOL

Time to inspect the damage. Come in after we are done, thoroughly wash my hands and scrub the dirt off. Turns out the little buggers got me 5 times on my right hand. Rubbed some Benadryl anti itch cream on my hands and so far, knock on wood, my hand isn't that bad. Though on two bites I can almost start to see the blister that happens after ant bites.....