A new report says Ohio’s population of Lyme disease-carrying ticks has skyrocketed in recent years.
Experts are trying to figure out why. Kabir Bhatia of member station WKSU in Kent reports.
In just the last five years, black-legged ticks – also known as deer ticks – have jumped from under 1 percent of Ohio’s tick population, to about 25 percent. And that’s led to twice the number of Lyme-disease cases as well.
An Ohio State University study shows that most deer ticks are in eastern Ohio, which has lots of the woods and tall grass the species prefers.
Glen Needham, professor emeritus of entomology at Ohio State, says it’s hard to pinpoint why the tick population is growing.
“Various folks have speculated it has something to do with the moderating climate [and] milder winters. But the black-legged, or deer, tick is kind of known as a cold-weather tick anyway. The snow cover served as kind of an insulating blanket. So even when it was really cold, it didn’t really impact what was underneath the snow.”
Needham adds that deer ticks are most active in spring and summer, but hunters are still at risk through the end of the year.
Lyme disease has flu-like symptoms and often creates a bullseye-looking rash. Anyone suspecting a case of the disease should contact a physician and the Health Department, and save garments carrying the ticks for analysis if possible.
