GEORGETOWN, Del. - Tick season has arrived here on Delmarva. People all throughout the region are noticing more ticks than usual this year when they step outside continuing a worrying trend that may be a result of a warming climate.
Steve Licata, a nature photographer who was in the Redden Forest attempting to take photos of a Red Tanager, told WRDE that he encounters ticks frequently on his adventures.
“I try to spray myself down…, but they still find a way to get up there,” Steve said, “so, I’ll average, if I’m out in the field, at least one tick, maybe two.”
Projection of the increasing range of tick habitat. Courtesy Climate Central
Ticks thrive in warm and humid habitats. As temperature and humidity levels increase in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast, tick habitat is also increasing. The tick that is spreading at the fastest rate is the deer tick, which is the carrier of Lyme disease. According to the CDC, Lyme disease occurrence has been rapidly increasing across the country over the past few decades.
Climate Central graph showing CDC data which indicates a large uptick in Lyme disease occurrence.
There are steps to take to prevent ticks and the diseases that come along with them. It is important to always wear bug spray, check for ticks once you have ended your adventures, and to see a doctor, if you suffer any illnesses or odd marks after finding a tick on your body.