They believe the lone star ticks found were transported by migrating birds. They have but so far, researchers have been unable to verify that any breeding populations exist. That’s not to say lone star ticks haven’t been seen in Maine. “We don’t at this point think it’s established in Maine,” Lubelczyk said, “but we’ve been looking.” Their bite can also cause people to become allergic to red meat. This species - which was named for the white star shape visible on the female’s back - can carry and transmit a number of dangerous pathogens to people. The lone star tick, common throughout the Southeast, recently became established as far north as Connecticut and Cape Cod, Massachusetts. The sole vector for Lyme disease, the blacklegged tick has bitten and infected thousands of Maine residents.īut there’s another tick crawling northward that Mainers may soon have to be concerned about. To date, 16 species of ticks have been identified in Maine, but for years, people have only worried about one species: the blacklegged tick. The next few weeks is going to be very telling.” A new tick in Maine “If we end up running into the situation that we’ve had the past couple of years where we have dry conditions starting in June and lasting through August, that’s not a good situation for ticks. “This time of year it’s tricky because the growing season is just starting, and once the trees start to green out, they’ll pull an awful lot of the moisture out of the soil,” Lubelczyk said. Maine’s most troublesome tick - the blacklegged tick, also known as the deer tick - is highly susceptible to drying up and will seek shelter in dry conditions rather than search for animals - or people - to bite. Nevertheless, a hot, dry summer could slow down tick activity in the state, Lubelczyk said. “We’re not anticipating reduced tick numbers or reduced tick activity. “I think we had enough snow cover over the winter that winter conditions probably didn’t have any impact on tick populations,” said Griffin Dill, pest management specialist at the University of Maine Tick Identification Lab. Snow protects and insulates overwintering ticks, helping them survive the cold months. In addition, Maine just experienced a relatively snowy winter, with snowfall above average throughout the state. ![]() “If it stays damp and rainy as it has been, we can expect a fairly normal to healthy season for ticks.” “The real kicker is that it’s been a very damp spring, and the damp helps ticks survive,” said Chuck Lubelczyk, a field biologist for the Maine Medical Center Research Institute’s Lyme and Vector-Borne Disease Laboratory. ![]() This may not bode well for the months ahead. ( BDN) - Tick season is in full swing in Maine, and so far, weather conditions have been favorable for these dangerous pests.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |