Why are there so many ticks now and what to do about it?

Social media is full of complaints about ticks. Belarusians recall how, as children, they didn't even know what they were, despite spending time in forests and fields, but now they see no escape even in cities.

Iryna notes that there are indeed more ticks now than before. She sees three reasons for this, and the first of them is climate change towards warmer temperatures:

"The climate in Belarus has become milder, and this has increased tick activity. While previously one could speak of tick seasonality, it no longer exists; they are active almost always. 

Even a proper winter is not always present here anymore, but we need stable frosts to halt tick activity. In winter, they should hibernate in leaves or mown grass, but winters in Belarus are often mild now."

With warming, the life cycle of ticks has lengthened, meaning more of them manage to appear before the cold weather than before. The situation is exacerbated by the continuous growth of cities and their surrounding settlements. Lots of garbage and food, warm shelters, a milder climate, and fewer predators — the growth of cities brings very comfortable conditions for rodents, and their numbers are increasing. And that's exactly what ticks need, as rodents are both transport and a food source for them.

Additionally, there was once a widespread practice of treating fields with chemicals from airplanes to combat pests. This also affected ticks. Lately, in an effort to protect the environment, this is no longer done, and because of this, conditions for ticks have improved.

Therefore, one must unlearn the idea that ticks live only in forests and fields. Now, a tick can be encountered in a city yard or park.

Many people should be vaccinated against tick-borne encephalitis, believes the ecologist. This vaccination is not a single-component one: first, two doses of the vaccine are given several months apart, and then another one is added after 9-12 months. However, it is best to get the vaccine in autumn or winter so that immunity has time to form.

Some Belarusians can receive such vaccines for free — they must be given to those who work in risk zones, mostly concerning forests. But Iryna names a category of people who should get a paid vaccination:

"This is relevant if you are a hiking enthusiast or, for example, frequently visit forests. But I would advise our authorities to expand the list of people who need to get these mandatory vaccinations. Such people should be vaccinated for free, but if an increase in their numbers overloads the budget, at least these vaccinations should be made as accessible as possible for everyone."

Ticks transmit not only the encephalitis virus but also Lyme disease.

"There is a myth — allegedly, I have three days to start treatment, but there's no need to wait, it's better to simply take medication. And if you've been bitten by a tick, there's no point in taking it to a laboratory for testing; it's better to just take the necessary antibiotic in the first few days. Exceptions are pregnant women and children," — Iryna explains.

How do ticks attack? There is a myth that they can jump onto a person themselves. Iryna says that it happens differently — ticks sit in tall grass, 1 — 1.5 meters high, extend their legs, and cling to the fur or clothing of their victim. Sometimes they are mistaken for deer keds — that insect can indeed pursue its prey.

Павялічыць

Ticks are affected by the widely discussed Council of Ministers' Resolution No. 267, according to which Belarusians must mow lawns on private land plots if they reach a height of 20 cm. Iryna explains that ticks are afraid of sun and dryness, so short grass is indeed a problem for them. However, this also harms many other small animals.

Ticks tend to move from wild territories to cultivated plots. And if a person has a plot near a forest, mowing it is essential.

The most benefit, Iryna believes, would come from controlling rodents — as they are both transport and food for ticks. Now, Western countries distribute contraception to rodents to control their numbers.

"It looks like food attractive to rodents. This is a very humane and effective method; over one season of its use, populations can decrease by 60-80%."

Let's return to ticks. Iryna shares a life hack for situations when you've come, for example, from the forest or a walk with your dog and want to quickly check if you've picked up a tick somewhere. You can simply run a sticky lint roller over your clothes and shoes. The expert also advises using repellents that deter ticks with their scent.

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