Mild Winter Coupled With Rising Temps Could Send New Jersey Tick Population Soaring, Experts Say
NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- As the weather gets warmer, experts say be prepared for a surge in the number of ticks in New Jersey.
While we may have lucked out with a mild winter, officials say that could make for a particularly buggy spring -- especially ticks, which are capable of transmitting Lyme disease.
"Today was a good day for ticks because the temperature was just warm enough," Rutgers entomology professor Alvaro Toledo said.
Most people don't expect to see ticks late in winter or early spring, but Toledo says they're out there.
"It's a nice day, so if you're sick of winter and want to spend time outdoors you may encounter them," he said.
With no real deep freeze this winter, more pests may have been able to stay alive during the colder months.
"We didn't have a major nor'easter or snow storm, not that we didn't have storms, but they were more modest in nature," state climatologist David Robinson said.
2018 was the wettest year on record for New Jersey, so bodies of water and ground water are at high levels.
"It really kept a lot of standing water around that hasn't had time to evaporate before the next wet system came in," Robinson said.
Experts like Robinson and Toledo say an area with standing water are a perfect breeding ground for ticks and other pests.
They say to avoid tick bites, you should keep your grass short at home, clear any standing water, wear light-colored clothes you can easily spot the black insect, and do routine checks of your family and wear repellent.