An increase in ticks across Southwestern Ontario could mean trouble as the warm winter may have boosted their numbers, and residents are being warned after observing more of these bloodsucking parasites earlier than usual this year. Normally, tick reports start around mid-April, but this year it’s about a month earlier, and with longer, hotter summers and milder winters, ticks not only survive better but also grow and potentially reproduce more.
Ticks aren’t just active in warm weather; they can be out whenever the temperature is above freezing. Infected ticks could be found almost anywhere in the province, although the likelihood is low.
Lyme disease spreads through tick bites, causing symptoms like fever, headache, and sometimes a bullseye-like rash within three to 30 days. If untreated, it can lead to arthritis, rashes, and neurological and cardiac problems.
Written by: K. Milhomens