In Plymouth, the County Entomologist telling the Board of Health that Plymouth is one of those towns where ticks are always going to be a concern.
The County Entomologist, Blake Dinius, says that one of the things people need to worry about is that the risk surrounding tick bites might change depending upon circumstances.
“For example the time of year, and right now we do have new ticks active, they’re about the size of a poppy seed and they’re about the same color as a poppy seed. We started seeing them actually really around the mid, the last of April and I suspect we’ll continue to see them throughout June.”
Dinius talks about the risk of being bitten by a tick:
“When it comes to risks, the activity that we’re doing outside can really impact whether or not we’re going to be bit by a tick. And, what we find, at least in some of the research and some of the data collected, is that more people pick up ticks from their backyard working in their backyard.”
So, how do people avoid ticks in their backyard?
“Knowing that ticks need this high level of moisture, you tend to find them basically on the perimeter around the house. You know the well manicured lawn, or if it’s your driveway, it’s very flat, that’s a very hostile environment for a tick. It’s not impossible to encounter a tick there, it’s just highly unlikely and a tick will not survive very long under those conditions.”
