Pet Pause
Be Aware, Rather Than Beware, of Ticks
Unseasonably Warm Weather, Acorn Production Has Made Them More Common Than Usual for April
There's nothing like a little unseasonably warm weather to spill us back out onto the sidewalks. But since we've had an unseasonably warm winter and a rather May-ish March, we haven't been alone in our instincts. Ticks, specifically black-legged or deer, rarely found themselves dormant under snow drifts this year; and, after a warm March, they're active a month or two earlier than usual this spring, scientists and vets say. Plus, after last year's boom in acorn production, with a significant drop this year hitting the mouse population hard, scientists suggest this year's ticks may be especially hungry for blood meals. According to Newswise, the majority will be nymphs – ticks stuck between larvae youth and adulthood. “The last time (an …
Tina
12:35 pm on Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Well, I always like to plug Tick Tubes, which are a clever way to use nature to cut down the tick population with relatively few side effects. The tubes arrive (if you get them online - www.ticktubes.com) already filled with cotton which has been soaked in permethrin. You lay the tubes around your property, and mice are attracted to the cotton which they use for their nests. This way the … more ›