Growing up in Weston certainly was fun. Our family lived on the second hole of the Weston Golf Club. As a youngster, I was either 'shagging' golf balls or fishing in the ponds on the 11th and 12th holes. And all that I remember hearing was my mother telling me not to get into the poison ivy. Alas, my days of worrying about nothing more than poison ivy in the summertime have long since passed.
Ticks have now become a part of our lives whether we like it or not. The entire tick epidemic has put a whole new spin on enjoying our outdoor spaces. I've received a lot of calls this spring regarding the unusually large tick population. Here are a couple of theories as to why their numbers seem to have increased so dramatically. Number one is the abundant deer population, which is without question the biggest problem, since deer play the part of the 'host.' I sometimes like to refer to the deer as 'tick taxis.' They unwittingly pick up these tiny invaders, give them a free blood meal, and then drop them off at random destinations, like your backyard. There they lay eggs and hatch a couple of thousand to a few thousand new ticks per cluster.
Another theory for the spike in the tick population is last winter's seemingly back-to-back series of snowstorms. Unlike recent years when the snow from one storm would melt before the next storm hit, we had a continuous snow cover on the ground from December through March. This constant 'blanket' acted as a sort of insulation for the ticks, allowing them to bypass their usual dormant phase, where they normally freeze and then thaw in the spring. The result? When the snow cover finally melted, the ticks were alive and well and ready to 'do their thing.'
Whichever theory proves correct, one thing is quite clear: we need to act now and meet this increased tick threat head on. Sure, we can all still have fun outside, but before the fun begins, there are a few extremely important precautions we can all take to protect ourselves:
• Be sure to spray, dress, and protect you and your family before going outside.
• Prep and protect your yard with regular sprayings, and by keeping your grass mowed regularly; long grass is a haven for ticks (this year in particular).
• Be vigilant: make tick checks a DAILY habit!
And finally, feel free to contact me for a free consultation on making your yard less tick-friendly, you'll be surprised how easy it is to implement. You can also check out my website, www.ohdeer1.com, for more helpful tips. Be sure to click on the T.I.C.K logo to find out more about our 'Take Initiative Check Kids' program. There’s a lot of good information there that’s free to all. We all lead busy lives, but let's not overlook the simple yet very crucial measures we can take to ensure the well-being of our children and ourselves.
Kurt
