Tick season may be extending thanks to mild winter weather
MINNEAPOLIS — On the long list of things nature is doing different this winter, you can now add a certain insect.
Ticks normally go dormant this time of year. But with our unseasonable warmth, experts say it's possible the disease-carrying pest will be out in search of a meal.
There have even been reports of tick bites rising in the northeast US, a concern experts say could happen in Minnesota.
Muddy paws and wet coats are the obvious post-walk hassle for dog owners at Minnehaha Dog Park on a balmy and damp Friday. So too now is a routine typically reserved for warmer months.
"Just check behind the ears and paws and all those other areas," said Barb. She's talking about doing a tick check on her pets, a task she takes seriously after one of them recently got Lyme Disease. Her dog, named Squirrel, had symptoms including, "Severe lethargy, lack of interest in anything, she didn't eat," Barb said.
"We just actually relocated here from Jackson, Wyoming and we didn't have ticks there," said Carter Coglan. "But I heard somebody saying that ticks are potentially a year-round issue now."
Maybe not every year, but definitely in a season filled with weather usually reserved for fall and early spring.
"It's certainly possible that people are going to be encountering ticks even here at almost Christmas time when typically that's not a concern for us," said Elizabeth Schiffman, and epidemiologist with the Minnesota Department of Health.
Ticks have a slight resurgence during hunting season in October. Snowfall and below freezing temps often make them go dormant around Thanksgiving.
"Usually, our weather kind of protects us from a winter tick season," said Schiffman.
Instead, there's no snow and temperatures continue to hover near 40 degrees, allowing ticks to comfortably extend their fall feeding time. The good news is protecting yourself from the insect is a bit easier this time of year.
"That's one of our harder messages in the summer.' Wear long sleeves and long pants.' And it's like ,who wants to do that when its hot out? But now, everyone is already kind of bundled up," Schiffman said.
So, would a blanket of snow be worth it if that meant keeping ticks at bay? "No," Barb said bluntly along with some laughter.
"It's a little bit muddy but not having to wear the snowshoes yet is a really nice thing," added Coglan.
Tick repellent, like permethrin, is another form of protection to consider if you'll be in wooded and grassy areas during this warm stretch.