Tick Nests
Female ticks have the ability to lay a large number of eggs at once, potentially reaching thousands. These eggs are found in gelatinous clusters, as depicted in the photo above. The presence of tick nests can pose health risks to both humans and animals, as they may carry bacteria, viruses, or parasites. It is important to note that tick nests are not traditional nests, but rather sticky masses of eggs laid by female ticks in soft areas such as soil or grass. These nests can contain hundreds of eggs and have a murky, orb-like appearance. The eggs remain attached to each other until they hatch, which typically occurs around 40 days after being laid.
If you discover a tick nest in your yard, garden, or near your home, it is not advisable to attempt drowning it with a hose or stomping on it. Ticks are resilient creatures and can survive such attacks, making the destruction of tick nests quite challenging. Instead, an effective method for eliminating a tick nest is to submerge it in rubbing alcohol or to vacuum it up.
Tick Nest Locations
The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station (CAES) has conducted research that has identified specific areas within backyards that are at a high risk for ticks. The research has found that leaf litter and short vegetation near the edge of the woods have the highest concentration of ticks. In the area between the forest and the lawn, known as the “ecotone,” the density of ticks is highest on the wooded side of the lawn-edge ecotone. This is because whitetail deer and other wildlife tick hosts often travel through the ecotone, where they feed and in return contribute to the tick population.
Also, stone walls are very attractive to ticks because they provide a damp environment that ticks thrive in, as well as serving as a habitat for rodent hosts. It is crucial to identify these high-risk areas due to the increasing number of Lyme disease cases.
New Lyme Disease Research
Lyme disease impacts almost 500,000 individuals in the United States each year, even though symptoms can persist despite antibiotic treatment. Due to a mild winter, ticks are appearing earlier, leading experts to warn of a potentially severe tick season in Ohio. A protective protein against Lyme disease has been discovered by researchers at MIT and the University of Helsinki in human sweat. Approximately one-third of the population carries a genetic variant of this protein linked to susceptibility to Lyme disease. Although the mechanism by which the protein inhibits bacterial growth is not yet clear, there is promising potential for skin creams and alternative treatments.
Study senior author Michal Caspi Tal, a principal research scientist in MIT’s Department of Biological Engineering, stated in a media release, “This protein may offer some defense against Lyme disease, and we believe there are significant implications for a preventative and potentially a therapeutic approach based on this protein.”
Lyme disease reports in Ohio also have become increasingly prevalent in recent years, with confirmed cases rising from 67 in 2012 to 582 in 2021. The data illustrates a significant increase in the number of confirmed cases over time.
National Pest Management Association Bug Barometer
With a warmer than usual beginning to spring in Ohio, an earlier activation of tick populations is to be expected. Regardless of your location, check out the map to identify the pests that will be prevalent in your area during the upcoming spring and summer seasons.
