The More Ticks The Merrier!

The more ticks the merrier! Not something you would often find us saying, but research has suggested that if your back yard has an abundance of ticks that are of a diverse species, then the number of tick species that carry Borrelia burgdorferi (the bacteria that causes Lyme disease) would likely decline, as the diversity of host species for ticks increases.  This is known as the dilution effect and the following article has more information.

Why the Variety of Tick Hosts in Your Back Yard Might Be a Good Thing

Researchers studying the spread of Lyme disease have closely investigated the dynamics involved among ticks, their animal hosts, humans, and the habitats in which they all live. One principle that has come to be understood is the dilution effect, which suggests that the abundance of the pathogen Borrelia burgdorferi (the bacteria that causes Lyme disease) falls as the diversity of host species for ticks increases.

Don’t get us wrong! We’re not encouraging the need for more ticks and it’s still just as important as it ever was to make sure your tick control is kept up to date for your back yard. We’ll share just something positive about ticks  in this post… for a change.

Remember, don’t be misled into thinking that we can lower our guard against these disease spreading pests. It’s not that often we’ll find something positive to say about them. But everything on this planet deserves a chance to demonstrate their place…right? So we’re giving these creepy arachnids their moment of glory, before we go back to warning you all about how you need to keep protecting yourself. We’ll give them their 5 minutes in the limelight (or more appropriately ‘lymelight) to be at the center of public attention for a positive reason!