I spend a lot of time outdoors. This is especially true in the spring when the mornings are crisp, the daytime temps are perfect, and everything is turning green. Whether it is hiking mile after mile looking for shed antlers from deer and elk, hunting wild turkeys in the early spring on public land, or riding my mountain bike once the trails are ready, I take advantage of every opportunity I am given to be outside.
While being active in the great outdoors is good for our mental and physical health, it does present some minor risks. Having lived in the intermountain west all my life, I have come to terms with the fact that ticks and humans coexist in the same environment. As a result, given the potential for these blood-sucking ectoparasites to cause disease and illness, it is important that we take precautions to protect ourselves, our families, and our pets. Yes, tick-borne diseases, like mosquito-borne diseases, are 100% preventable.
Given the time I spend in areas where ticks are present, I have learned to live with ticks. I will admit that ticks bother me and they are never a welcome sight, but life goes on. For me, the slight risk of a tick-borne illness, which is preventable and avoidable, will never outweigh the benefits of being active and taking advantage of everything good that comes from being outdoors. I am sure there are quite a few who share this sentiment.
In my experience, ticks are more present during the spring season compared to other times of the year. Generally, by early summer, it has warmed up and the soil and vegetation have started to dry out. As a result of this change, the tick population seems to thin out due to starvation, predation, or desiccation. Those that survive the seasonal transition appear to hide and recede into the darkness of the underworld only to return and cause problems when the conditions are right in the fall.
However, this year is different. With the cooler temperatures and daily rains, the mountain landscape still looks like it does in mid-spring, boasting a beautiful carpet of wildflowers, green grasses, and wonderful smelling sage-flats. While this welcome change is much deserved after this past winter, it has allowed the tick population to hang on longer than in years past. I have been surprised by the number of calls we have received about ticks this year. Not only is the population postponing its retreat, but based on what I am hearing and what has been shared with me, it seems to be staging a comeback tour that could last well into late summer.
Although anecdotal evidence may support the idea that tick numbers are higher this year than in years past, this should not be interpreted to mean that disease-carrying ticks are on the rise. A recent study by Utah State University (USU) noted that the Rocky Mountain Wood Tick is the most common tick in Utah. This species is not a vector of Lyme Disease, but can carry Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and tick paralysis. The Western Blacklegged Tick is present in Utah and can carry the bacteria responsible for Lyme Disease. However, based on the results of the study, the geographic range of the Western Blacklegged Tick is isolated to the Sheeprock Mountains in Tooele County. Additionally, of the ticks collected and evaluated for disease in the Utah study, none were found to be carrying the Borrelia bacterium responsible for Lyme Disease. USU also noted that in other areas of the intermountain west, less than 15% of the ticks tested for various diseases were positive for bacteria capable of causing tick-borne illness.
While these numbers provide some security that the chances of becoming sick from a tick bite are low in Utah, we still need to be vigilant. Thorough tick checks after being outside in sagebrush or tall grasses can help with the timely and thorough removal of the tick. The general rule of thumb is that if a tick is removed within 24 hours of latching on, the risk of infection is reduced by almost 100%. If you or a loved one are not comfortable removing a tick, you can seek a medical professional to assist with this procedure. However, you should feel confident that with some online guidance from the Summit County Health Department, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the National Institute of Health, you can successfully and effectively perform a tick removal at home.
Regardless of the reason you are outdoors, be it ranching, farming, hiking, hunting, or any other outdoor activity, including gardening and yardwork, it is possible that you might come into contact with a tick or two. And, much like the inevitable raspberry from the first mountain bike crash of the year, we should not let this anticipated encounter deter us from enjoying the benefits of being outside. With a little extra attention to detail and increased awareness, we can coexist with these nasty creatures and avoid becoming ill should they find it appropriate to help themselves to a blood meal at our expense.