Hell if I know. It could be the warmer winters. That's the only thing I can imagine. As far as the hike in the Birkhead Wilderness goes, it wasn't an overpopulation of deer that created the explosion of ticks, because the understory of the forest indicates that the deer population is right about where it should be.
Maybe they just go through population boom and bust cycles. I know I've gone into the woods week after week all during some summers with never a sign of a tick. But this year and two years ago were both really bad ones for ticks. This is the worst I've ever seen it, though.
Bob, glad you are starting to be on the mend. My dogs and I used to collect ticks in the NE Florida woods like they were going out of style. Since we moved to Delaware five years ago I've found no more than a handful. Everyone up here is understandably paranoid about lyme disease but the deer tick population is only a tiny bit what it was down south.
Two years ago was bad here in NC, but this year is even worse. I've never seen ticks like I did on that hike this week. I saw some backpackers heading into the wilderness but they were on an adjacent trail and I would have had to backtrack to warn them. I hope they took precautions. I used DEET and they still got all over me, and that generally keeps them at bay.
BobSmith - Jul 17, 2011 5:49 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: TicksHell if I know. It could be the warmer winters. That's the only thing I can imagine. As far as the hike in the Birkhead Wilderness goes, it wasn't an overpopulation of deer that created the explosion of ticks, because the understory of the forest indicates that the deer population is right about where it should be.
BobSmith - Jul 17, 2011 9:19 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: TicksMaybe they just go through population boom and bust cycles. I know I've gone into the woods week after week all during some summers with never a sign of a tick. But this year and two years ago were both really bad ones for ticks. This is the worst I've ever seen it, though.
Bark Eater - Jul 18, 2011 7:53 pm - Voted 10/10
TicksBob, glad you are starting to be on the mend. My dogs and I used to collect ticks in the NE Florida woods like they were going out of style. Since we moved to Delaware five years ago I've found no more than a handful. Everyone up here is understandably paranoid about lyme disease but the deer tick population is only a tiny bit what it was down south.
BobSmith - Jul 18, 2011 7:59 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: TicksTwo years ago was bad here in NC, but this year is even worse. I've never seen ticks like I did on that hike this week. I saw some backpackers heading into the wilderness but they were on an adjacent trail and I would have had to backtrack to warn them. I hope they took precautions. I used DEET and they still got all over me, and that generally keeps them at bay.