🕷️ Blacklegged ticks (Ixodes scapularis) are resilient to extreme temperatures, including both cold and heat.
🌡️ Larval ticks are more impacted by heat and dry conditions, while nymph and adult ticks can survive hot and cold weather with little impact.
🌍 A large field study conducted by Washington State University (WSU) and the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies collected valuable data on ticks' response to climatic conditions.
🌡️ Extreme weather conditions don't have as much of an effect on tick mortality as previously thought, but they can shorten the window of time for ticks to find a host.
🦠 Tick larvae have shorter median survival times when exposed to frequent periods of hot and dry weather.
🌱 Environmental factors such as arthropods or fungi may contribute to variations in tick survival on a small scale.
🦠 Targeting interventions during the larvae stage could be an effective strategy to reduce tick populations and mitigate the risk of disease transmission.
🧪 The study aims to develop a comprehensive framework to predict and manage tick populations for improved public health outcomes.
📚 The research team plans to further investigate the factors leading to localized tick mortality and the role of host species in tick survival.
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- https://news.wsu.edu/press-release/2023/06/01/ticks-prove-resilient-to-extreme-temperatures/
