Tuesday, May 16, 2017

Lots of ticks this year

I have picked up quite a few ticks just being out in the yard and garden.  The rabbits and other rodents are probably providing the ticks a way to carry on.  I've had 5 tick bites so far, and I've killed about 28 ticks altogether this year.  That includes 10 that were on the screen door.  Why on the screen?  I have no idea.  Last week, I saw 4 ticks on the screen door.  Yesterday, there were 4 more, and today, there were 2.  I don't want to constantly wear insect repellant, but I will keep my eyes open. 
The CDC has information on another tick-borne disease besides Rocky Mountain spotted fever and Lyme.  It is called the Powassan virus.  Most of the occurrences have been in the Northeast and in the Great Lakes region.  Here is a little more info from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
The ticks on my screen were what we call dog ticks, but a couple of the ones that have bitten me this year are what we call deer ticks.
Here is a close-up of one on my screen door.

If you are outdoors a lot, keep yourself checked for ticks.
 

2 comments:

  1. On the screen is strange to me, I don't think I have ever seen a tick except on a plant or a dog (and me of course). The deer ticks scare me most because of the Lyme danger and the very small size of the dudes.
    Glad at least you are spotting them, that number you mentioned seems a much heavier population than I have ever noticed.

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  2. I've pulled several off of me and the dogs too.

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