Dill quoted in Press Herald article on deer ticks
James Dill, pest management specialist at the University of Maine Cooperative Extension, was quoted in a Portland Press Herald article titled “Leaf cover appears to help deer ticks survive winter, Maine researchers report.”
The two-year study, led by researchers at the Maine Medical Center Research Institute “tick lab” explained that by overwintering beneath leaves, deer ticks — which transmit Lyme disease — can survive harsh, cold weather in Maine. It’s unclear, however, if the ticks are vulnerable to sudden temperature drops.
According to the Maine CDC, there were 107 cases of Lyme disease through April 30 this year.
“It’s definitely a heavy tick season,” said Dill.
Dill said deer tick larvae feed on rodents and there are indications that rodent populations will be higher this spring and summer, which could boost tick populations, though other factors could lead to a population decline as summer goes on.