With summer around the corner, everyone’s least favorite eight-legged pest is about to arrive in full force. Ticks are a huge pain, especially if you spend most of your time outdoors. North American Hunter recently conducted an experiment to show what attracts ticks and just how many are lurking around you.
Ticks are attracted to carbon dioxide, which you and every other mammal exhale with every breath. A small container was filled with dry ice, which sublimates into carbon dioxide gas, and placed near a bedding area frequently visited by deer. After just 8 hours the small Tupperware tub was covered in ticks. Using masking tape to remove them, more than 667 ticks were attracted to the 1 lb block of dry ice. Think about that the next time you’re picking a spot to bed down for a night beneath the stars.
After you venture into the woods this summer, take a shower and check yourself thoroughly for ticks. You can toss your clothes in the dryer for about 5 minutes on low heat to kill any of these pests that may have hitched a ride home with you.
(image source; North American Hunter)
