Dill speaks to News Center Maine about threat of ticks to moose calves

In an article about the effect of winter ticks on moose calves in northwestern Maine, News Center Maine interviewed Griffin Dill, manager of the University of Maine Cooperative Extension Tick Lab. Dill said that unlike deer and dog ticks, winter tick larvae cluster in clumps on vegetation, including harvested trees. In early fall, winter ticks “hitch a ride” on a passing moose. “Winter ticks stay on that one animal, go through an entire life cycle, molt on that animal and then drop off. The moose can pull a chain of anywhere from a few dozen to a few thousand, in one swoop,” Dill said.