Keep An Eye Out For Ticks This Long Weekend
We are all excited for summer, and as Midwesterners, we know that with summer comes ticks. The Midwest has some of the most abundant and diverse populations of ticks across the whole country, and this year we are seeing the continuing trend of a severe tick season. We saw this trend in 2021 as well.
With a long weekend ahead of us, many of us like to go camping or head to spots with ticks. Make sure you stay safe this year. It may be a rough one.
Many experts agree that the peak tick season is running from about May through July. Meaning we could start seeing those numbers of ticks start to jump up as the weather finally starts to get nicer this May.
According to USA Today, this rise in numbers also has other effects. Dr. Karen Bloch, professor of medicine in the division of infectious diseases at Vanderbilt University Medical Center went on to say,
"there's definitely been an increase in the number of tick-associated infections diagnosed, and these are syndromes caused by different ticks. So it's really fascinating to see that, almost regardless of geographic area or disease, we are seeing an upswing."
Ticks In The Midwest
According to Pests.org the Midwest has seen an above-average tick threat level a few times now.
This winter and spring will likely see temperatures stay around normal, so tick season won’t begin any earlier than its usual late April start. Summer heat, however, is expected to linger, pushing September and October temperatures above average and extending tick season into the fall.
Other sources are reminding the Midwest to stay safe and watch out for ticks not only on yourself but on pets as well to avoid Lyme disease.
This part is known to be the center for the Lyme disease. There have been predictions of a noticeable rise in tick activities around the Ohio River valley and Missouri.
Most reports are predicting a rough tick season not only for the midwest but everywhere.
The predictions say, the year 2022 may prove to be tough for all regions across the USA, and it will be hard to get away from these blood-sucking parasites.
Staying safe
If you make the mistake of not taking them seriously, both you and your fellow pet companion might have to pay the price for ignoring them.
Another quick trick that I followed when I was a kid growing up in the country was when I came in from outside, I'd check my clothing and pets for ticks. Also, shower as soon as you come in from outside, and checking every part of your body is a good idea too.
You can learn more about ticks in our area by clicking here.