Ticks in Massachusetts

[taxid]

Apparently ticks can be a problem here and I've already found one crawling on me after I walked through some vegetation on a lake I'm staying on vacation.  However growing up here as a kid back in the late 60's and early 70's I'd never seen one or even heard of them and I was outdoors a lot. Of course deer, moose, coyotes, and turkeys were rare or unheard of too, at least in the part of the state I lived in. I also had never seen a Great Blue Heron or cormorant back then either.

I can only surmise that may have been back then DDT was used abundantly, or is there another reason?

[bogtrotter]

Probably due to a combination of (1) stopping the use of DDT, (2) the increase in host animals (e.g., deer) and, maybe, (3) a touch of global warming thrown in the mix as well.  (Just my guess).

[zwiggles]

Another factor is the lack of birds compared to 40-50 years ago. Partridge, woodcock, and whippoorwills are pretty much gone now.

[CatchAndReleaseColin]

Meh. Always been ticks. More some years than others.

From what I understand they do best in warm wet summers after a drought - which is exactly what we have this year.

Poisons prolly affect their populations more than birds. But I'd rather have Eagles/Herons/Osprey etc. than have poison sprayed everywhere - obviously...

Just check yourself at the end of the day and pick them off. Easy. People make a MUCH bigger deal of them than they are. Oh, and I've had Lyme disease so don't complain about it. Felt like having mono for a few weeks, no lingering effects.

People need to grow up regarding ticks. They are really no big deal.

[Fishermantim]

I do agree with the lack of bird populations that would have an effect.
Sure host animal population growth and "global warming" have had an effect, but if there are no creatures to keep ticks in check then all they can do is grow in numbers.

Maybe it the state's F & G took tried to reintroduce the ground bird populations (because it appears they are pretty much gone in most areas) it could have a beneficial result.

Of course that would mean spending money of something other than trout, but that could be worth it.
Of course the salmon stocking program would make me wary of possible success.

[westernmas]

Meh. Always been ticks. More some years than others.

From what I understand they do best in warm wet summers after a drought - which is exactly what we have this year.

Poisons prolly affect their populations more than birds. But I'd rather have Eagles/Herons/Osprey etc. than have poison sprayed everywhere - obviously...

Just check yourself at the end of the day and pick them off. Easy. People make a MUCH bigger deal of them than they are. Oh, and I've had Lyme disease so don't complain about it. Felt like having mono for a few weeks, no lingering effects.

People need to grow up regarding ticks. They are really no big deal.

Agreed.  As long as you give yourself a good thorough check after coming out of the woods or even take a shower you will find 99% of the ticks prior to them having a chance to latch on.  Obviously there are certain circumstances where they may be missed but most of the time a thorough check will do the trick.

[lowaccord66]

Agreed.  As long as you give yourself a good thorough check after coming out of the woods or even take a shower you will find 99% of the ticks prior to them having a chance to latch on.  Obviously there are certain circumstances where they may be missed but most of the time a thorough check will do the trick.

Tick checks are a task for the wife!   

[bigredfishing]

Just check yourself at the end of the day and pick them off. Easy. People make a MUCH bigger deal of them than they are. Oh, and I've had Lyme disease so don't complain about it. Felt like having mono for a few weeks, no lingering effects.

People need to grow up regarding ticks. They are really no big deal.

Ever met someone who had long-term lyme disease and the toll it takes on the body?

Ever seen what bells palsy looks like?

Ever known someone that died from complications to lyme?

I've dealt with all this with close friends and family, and its not pretty.  In fact, it is quite aweful.


you can down play it all you want, but ticks are really freaking bad, and the diseases they carry can be life threatening.

we didn't even bring up the powassan virus or babesiosis....

[lowaccord66]

Aggressive case of Lymes almost killed my wife.  I have an employee dealing with symptoms currently which thankfully are not as severe.  In my wifes case...the first Dr. suggested she had a spider bite.  All of a sudden she was hit with crippling back pain which sent her right to the ER...the second Dr. had experience with such complications and thankfully got her the correct meds.  Had we listed to the first Dr. Lymes would have killed her.  Lets hope Colin, that you dont end up with something to complain about!

[filetandrelease]

Low I remember that glad your wife got the proper care ,

[lowaccord66]

Low I remember that glad your wife got the proper care ,

I will never forget it.  Ironically we never saw the tick and even crazier is I had 2 deer ticks embedded in me that year.  So far one caught me off guard and got me this season.  I think I've pulled 5 or 6 walkers off me so far.  They dont bother me but I am aware of the potential consequences.

[taxid]

Thanks for the responses and I didn't mean to stir up anything controversial. And it certainly wasn't a complaint. Was just asking, as I honestly did not have any experience with ticks when I lived here about 50 years ago. I'd never heard of them until I moved to Indiana.

Perhaps another factor is more old growth forest here vs. 50 years ago?

Why do you think the ground bird population is down? Could it be a change in habitat? Maybe coyotes? I know in Indiana they were unheard of a few decades ago, but are quite common now, although you rarely see them. OTOH they do a good job of eliminating feral cats that kill a lot of birds.

On my most recent trip where I covered a lot of ground I had sprayed a repellent on my shoes and ankles and did not find any ticks. I also seem to be able to feel them as soon as they are on me.

And yeah the wife does a good job of checking but she was sleeping the last time I got back.

Enjoying it here! Wish I had the boat though.

Cheers!

[taxid]

Aggressive case of Lymes almost killed my wife.  I have an employee dealing with symptoms currently which thankfully are not as severe.  In my wifes case...the first Dr. suggested she had a spider bite.  All of a sudden she was hit with crippling back pain which sent her right to the ER...the second Dr. had experience with such complications and thankfully got her the correct meds.  Had we listed to the first Dr. Lymes would have killed her.  

Glad to hear your wife got the proper care and is doing well. Yes know a couple of people that have contracted it and it's nothing to take lightly. Both have long term serious arthritis like effects as they weren't diagnosed soon enough by doctors that didn't know enough to check for it.

I know a fellow taxidermist that contracted something different known as Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (or was it Tuleremia?) from a beaver, and it took some serious persuasion by her to get her doctor to test for it. He was stubborn and resisted -- calling her crazy for wanting the test. Sure enough she tested positive. The problem with some doctors is they have big egos and have to be the smartest in the room. I don't tolerate that kind -- especially the rude ones -- and have fired two. Have a great doc now that actually listens!

[zwiggles]

Taxid: in terms of why the birds have disappeared in my opinion it was the explosion do the population, and therefor housecats. My father said growing up there where fowl everywhere, and no ticks. Then the population exploded, the coyotes disappeared, and house cats IMO started to decimate the ground bird population. Then the deer/moose pop recovered, and the ticks started to become more prevelant.

[bigredfishing]

The ticks are moving north.   its has been a pretty obvious progression with ticks moving from more southern latitudes and lower elevations to more northerly latitudes and higher elevations.   They have now spread throughout the champlain valley and are working their way into the higher elevations.    The adk's and Western NY were the last great tickless areas in NY, and that is starting to end.   Just this year I pulled a number of ticks off me from a streambank that was 1500' in elevation where no one had seen ticks in years previous.    I found my first tick in 2000, and by 2004 i was finding them everywhere i fished or hunted in the capital district.

here's a nearly 10 year old article i googled up discussing this http://northernwoodlands.org/articles/article/tale_of_the_tick_how_lyme_disease_is_expanding_northward