Fall has actually shown up. This is the season that changes our forests with a beautiful screen of color and fills our kitchens with the smell of pumpkin pie and apple cider. It also brings something far less pleasant to our forests and treking tracks– blacklegged ticks.In parts of main and eastern Canada, October and November are peak activity times for adult blacklegged ticks or “deer ticks” (Ixodes scapularis). Spring is likewise a peak time for adult activity, while nymphal blacklegged ticks are active late spring and early summer season. This means they are hungry for blood and will climb onto low-lying plants in the forest to wait on their meal. This might be a deer or a raccoon– or it might be you, me, or our pets.As a vet and researcher, my work focuses on ticks and tick-borne illness, particularly those that impact both human beings and animals. Over the past few years, we have actually certainly seen remarkable changes in our tick populations in Canada.While this doesn’t
mean we must reduce our outdoor activities, it does mean we need to believe a lot more carefully about tick prevention.Master Hitchhikers Ticks– which themselves have extremely minimal
motion– are masters at hitching a ride on other animals, particularly migratory songbirds.< img src="https://fsmedia.imgix.net/73/39/1a/8a/419d/4ec7/9892/f1531416069b/the-lone-star-tick--one-of-several-migrating-tick-species--is-sporadically-introduced-into-areas-o.jpeg?dpr=2&auto=format%2Ccompress&w=650"alt="only star tick"> The lone star tick– among several migrating tick species– is sporadically introduced into areas of Canada.Spring bird migration is not a new phenomenon. What is altering is our environment along with other environmental factors– such as host populations and habitat– that facilitate blacklegged tick survival and population growth.New Ticks on the Block And it’s not just blacklegged ticks– we have actually seen noteworthy modifications in other tick species.The lone star tick( Amblyomma americanum )has actually spread out considerably from the southern United States northward. No populations are known to exist in Canada, they are
frequently introducedon birds. Recent research study shows that many locations are climatically ideal support this tick species.Last November, an unique tick species from Asia– the longhorned tick(Haemaphysalis longicornis)– turned up on a sheep farm in
New Jersey. It’s now been found in over half a dozen states. What makes this tick species distinct is thatan adult female does not require to mate to produce viable eggs. This implies a population can rapidly become established in a brand-new area following the intro of this tick.We do not know if or when these types could show up in Canada. The blacklegged tick has illustrated that we must remain watchful to keep track of the circulation and spread of all ticks.How to Do a Complete Body Check eTick is another online platform developed at Bishop’s University where the general public can submita photo of a tick for identification. It is presently just offered in Québec, but there are plans to expand to other provinces.University of Manitoba tick expert Dr. Kateryn Rochon describes how to look for ticks.Unfortunately, when tick populations establish, it appears like they are
delighting in mom nature. It just indicates that we need to< a href=https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/lyme-disease/prevention-lyme-disease.html target =_ blank rel =noopener > believe more about tick avoidance. Chocolate Labs Are Living Much Shorter And Much Shorter Lives
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