How good is Rovince anti-tick clothing for outdoors?

‘Boy, do they seem to like my blood!’ says Keith Kirk as he gets up close and personal to the nemesis of wildlife watchers and outdoor enthusiasts – ticks – and trials new protective clothing designed to protect humans from these blood-feeding arthropods

All my life has been spent in the great outdoors, as a Countryside Ranger and as a wildlife photographer. And there has always been a nemesis that has plagued me, ticks. In the 10 years or so there has been a huge expansion in their range and with the increasing threat of Lyme’s disease, lying down in long grass, or walking through woodland and bracken to take photographs, has always meant thoroughly checking myself for ticks later that day. Boy, do they seem to like my blood!

This year I was asked by a WildlifeCam.co.uk, an online company based in Castle Douglas, if I would like to test some anti-tick clothing, before they decide to stock it. It’s called Rovince anti-tick clothing and was originally designed for the German military, but is now being produced for the consumer market.

Keith in the anti-tick Rovince clothing (Image: Keith Kirk) I dare say the bit you all really want to know is: does it work? I won’t say you will never get a tick, but to date – and with extensive testing - I have not had a tick attach itself to my body this year.

Rovince clothing comes in various garments, including socks, trousers, hats, shirts and jackets, although I have only tested a few of these items. I know you will think it must involve a chemical of some sort, and it does, it’s called Permethrin. From what I understand, the clothing is not soaked in the chemical, rather the chemical has been made into a polymer and is woven into the material thread, which in turn means it only needs to be a very weak solution.

Permethrin is an invisible, odourless ingredient which, in the quantities used in the clothing is reported as completely harmless to humans. It’s a contact insecticide which creates a “hot-feet effect” on insects, causing them to leave the treated substance as quickly as possible. It’s also very durable and because it’s so tightly bonded to the fabric’s fibres, it retains its effectiveness for at least 80 washes.

Roe deer are particularly prone to ticks (Image: Keith Kirk) There are around 20 species of tick in the UK and the one I find to be the most common in Dumfries & Galloway is Ixodes ricinus, often referred to as the sheep or deer tick. They really like the wet, damp climate of the west coast, and although at one point ticks were only an issue during the summer months, I would say you could pick one up in any month of the year, although during really cold spells, in the depths of winter, they tend to be less active.

Ixodes ricinus is not the only species of tick in our region, although they are the most common tick you will find on us humans or on man’s best friend; the dog, which could be in the form of either a nymph or a full adult.

Ticks are arthropods, which means that they have jointed limbs and come from the family Arachnida, which are closely related to spiders, scorpions, mites and harvestmen.

Red Squirrel with a tick in its ear (Image: Keith Kirk) Ticks are parasitic and can be endophilic or exophilic. Endophilic ticks remain within their host’s nest, or burrow throughout their life cycle, such as those found on sand martins. Exophilic ticks actively seek their hosts out and can be found on many different species of wildlife.

The ones I see them on most commonly are deer, squirrels and sheep. They go through four stages in their life cycle - egg, larva, nymph and adult - and at each stage they need one meal of blood.

Ticks will not necessarily bite immediately, but will spend some time trying to find a suitable site to attach itself, once it gets onto your skin. It’s here where Rovince clothing works well as ticks just want to get off as soon as they can.

Keith in the anti-tick Rovince clothing (Image: Keith Kirk) Contrary to what you might hear about never leaving a tick head in your skin when trying to remove it is a bit of a misnomer, as ticks don’t have a head as such, only feelers and mouthparts, and yes these must never be left attached to your skin.

I have watched them on Rovince clothing through an eye piece magnifier and they keep twitching their front feelers and just won’t settle and want off, so with a quick shake or wipe down and they should just fall off.

Hopefully this has not scared you from exploring the beautiful countryside of Dumfries & Galloway, and it goes without saying that even with protective clothing, you should always take any precautions you can to lessen the chances of picking up a tick, particularly in long grass, bracken or woodland areas. Always check yourself over afterwards. I have friends who have experienced Lyme’s disease, and it’s not pleasant.