Planted Clover in the Bee Yard, deer, Ehrlichiosis, tick fever resulted.

van from Arkansas · March 07, 2019, 08:59:39 PM

Last year I planted clover in my apiary. Sounds like a good idea, agree? Well the white clover grew well and attracted the deer. The deer brought with them those little blood sucking disease carrying ticks. I sprayed my boots for ticks but somehow the ticks would always find me.

A tick attached to my left shoulder, no big deal I thought as I received tick bites every week. I removed the tick and life goes on. With me a typical tick bite might swell to say 3/4 inch and itch like the dickens. However this shoulder tick bite swelled encompassing an area of 3 square inches, [not 3/4],,most unusual for me. I went to the doc with concerns of a reactive tick bite. Doc was busy so I saw his nurse who would not issue any meds due to the fact that I at that time had no fever.

Tens days later I had 105.3 F fever, tick fever Ehrlichiosis, causing extreme chills, I mean I felt like I was freezing, in 95F hot July weather. My whole body ached, I woke up one morning so light headed and dizzy, I did not even know what day it was. I was able to maintain my body temp to 103.4 by taking aspirin. Another trip to the doc, a diagnosis of a Ehrlichiosis and a prescription of doxycycline, 10 days later I had full recovered.

So, beware of ticks, attracting deer to your apiary if you live in such an area. Now is the time to plant clover in Arkansas,,,,,,but not me, no way.

drobbins · March 07, 2019, 09:05:52 PM

we bought some land in the country about 20 years ago and built a house
ticks were horrible
got a dozen chickens and the ticks are gone plus free eggs
if you get guinea hens you don't even really need to take care of them (but no eggs)

sc-bee · March 07, 2019, 09:08:03 PM

Wrong place right time... hate it happened but do you really think planting clover and bringing the deer in had anything to do with it???

sc-bee · March 07, 2019, 09:08:52 PM

Quote from: drobbins on March 07, 2019, 09:05:52 PM
if you get guinea hens you don't even really need to take care of them (but no eggs)

Security Alarm............

drobbins · March 07, 2019, 09:20:27 PM

Quote

Security Alarm............

van from Arkansas · March 07, 2019, 09:56:20 PM

Quote from: sc-bee on March 07, 2019, 09:08:03 PM
Wrong place right time... hate it happened but do you really think planting clover and bringing the deer in had anything to do with it???

Well SC, I can say I do know the deer harbors most of the tick fevers and ticks transmit the disease from the deer to man. Tick is the vector, deer are the host. Lyme is probably the most noted:?deer, tick, man.

iddee · March 07, 2019, 10:05:30 PM

Before we had deer here, we had rocky mountain spotted fever, carried by ticks. Guineas do lay eggs. I have eaten many of them. Not as prolific as chickens, and a harder shell, but still edible. Guinea meat is also edible, but tougher than chicken.

drobbins · March 07, 2019, 10:12:41 PM

Quote
Guineas do lay eggs. I have eaten many of them.

yea, but you're a better hunter than me if you can find em

van from Arkansas · March 07, 2019, 10:18:18 PM

Guineas cackly [pop rak] when the leave the nest, daily. I have found many nest by listening for the cackling of these birds. The nest will be very close.

van from Arkansas · March 07, 2019, 10:34:56 PM

Quote from: iddee on March 07, 2019, 10:05:30 PM
Before we had deer here, we had rocky mountain spotted fever, carried by ticks. Guineas do lay eggs. I have eaten many of them. Not as prolific as chickens, and a harder shell, but still edible. Guinea meat is also edible, but tougher than chicken.

In the Bitterroot Valley, Mt, they found prairie dogs to be the main host for Rocky Mtn spotted fever.

drobbins · March 07, 2019, 10:36:24 PM

eggs or not, chickens are a tremendous help with ticks
I don't think I saw a single one last year
some folks say they help with hive beetles too

sc-bee · March 07, 2019, 11:15:36 PM

Quote from: van from Arkansas on March 07, 2019, 09:56:20 PM
Quote from: sc-bee on March 07, 2019, 09:08:03 PM
Wrong place right time... hate it happened but do you really think planting clover and bringing the deer in had anything to do with it???

Well SC, I can say I do know the deer harbors most of the tick fevers and ticks transmit the disease from the deer to man. Tick is the vector, deer are the host. Lyme is probably the most noted:?deer, tick, man.

They are on rodents too... so I guess it could be a Rat,tick, man

Anyway hope you have no more issues and are clear...

BeeMaster2 · March 08, 2019, 12:11:35 AM

I get ticks on me when I walk through thick sections of my forest, usually chasing an animal. If you get them out in less than 24 hours you usually do not get sick, per my doctor. After I remove one, I keep an eye on it for a week. If you get a big ring around it, time to see your Doctor and don?t leave until you get a shot. I did get the ring around one last goer and immediately went and got a shot. I did not have any serious problems.
Jim

jalentour · March 08, 2019, 11:08:37 AM

I get more ticks from walking in my hives than I do in the clover. There are way too many deer on my property and I see many ticks on the deer.
When I leave the house I spray my skin and clothing with anti-tick spray and it works pretty good. If I don't I get a lot of bites.

I'm gonna look into those guinea though. Anything that helps with mice, ticks and beetles is worth a try!

LizzieBee · March 09, 2019, 02:15:17 PM

Guineas are SUPER LOUD. I don?t have any but a friend of mine has four and they are always talking.

Also, I don?t know how many of you have rattlesnakes, but my chickens killed one about 1 1/2 feet long two years ago. I had no idea chickens were that brave! They didn?t eat it though.

Lizzie

drobbins · March 10, 2019, 05:15:26 PM

apparently, rattlesnakes ain't as tough as they're made out to bee
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3A5pXIuYlz4][/url]

BeeMaster2 · March 11, 2019, 12:33:06 AM

That is amazing that the rabbit survived that. Rabbits are very frail animals. All it would have taken was one fang to break the skin. I used to shoot them with a BB gun when I was young and they would jump in the air and fall to the ground dead.
Jim

Ben Framed · March 15, 2019, 12:43:33 AM

I watched this from my phone. Small viewing. Are y'all sure that was a rattle snake and not a chicken snake? Even rabbits will sometimes defend their young when the young is in danger. Especially if they have a fighting chance. Chicken snakes are a climbing snake also. 🐍. For you folks who watched this on a proper sized computer screen, you might could have plainly seen this was a rattle snake ?

Ben Framed · March 15, 2019, 12:48:39 AM

Game Chickens Mr Van and your tick problems will be cured. Hatch, Roundheaf, Claret, Kelso, Grey, Spangle, Albany, doesn't matter as long as they are Game Chickens. I guess tractor supply chickens would do, but game chickens are better survivors tnan the common chicken. Hens can come off a nest like a quail!

CoolBees · March 15, 2019, 03:50:58 PM

Philip - I originally saw that video around 2001. The image quality of the one posted here is less than the original. Yes - its a rattlesnake. Big one too.

It was always my understanding that rattlers are afraid of heights - which is the reason they are put on tall stools in snake shows - 'cause they won't go anywhere from there. Also, they are one of the fastest striking snakes.

Seeing that snake climb the tree still cracks me up. That's a gutsy rabbit!