Study Shows a Third of New York Ticks Carry a Disease

The only good thing about this news is it's coming in the heart of winter.

And even that may not be keeping the tick population at bay! According to a New York Upstate report, a study has revealed one out of every 3 tickets in New York carries a disease they can spread to humans. The study from Upstate Medical University collected data from ticks that were sent to a Syracuse lab for testing.

The NYUP story says Lyme disease was the most frequently occurring disease, found in about a quarter of the ticks which tested positive for a disease.. Among the other disease detected was miyamotoi, a bacterial infection that has emerged over the last 6 years.

Now maybe your thinking Winter kills off tickets. Not necessarily! The do go dormant during the winter, but do not die. The NYUP report says they hide under leaves during the winter and females will start laying eggs again in the Spring. I always assumed winter reduced the tick population! Maybe this info is a great reason to clean up any leaves that could still be in your yard.

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