Ticks, pests in abundance this summer

Anyone spending time outdoors this summer may have noticed that the ticks, mosquitos and other outdoor pests seem to be even thicker than normal; and according to the University of Arkansas' Division of Agriculture, there's a good reason.

Weather patterns over the last year have created an environment that is perfect for bug breeding, said Andrew Fidler, a veterinarian and instructor in animal science with the Division's Fayetteville office.

"We've had a bad year for a lot of different insects, including mosquitos and ticks," he said, "and it seems to be because of the weather. We had an unusually warm winter, and insects usually experience a huge die-off when it gets very cold, but that never happened this year. More larvae survived the winter; plus, we had good cool, wet weather this spring, so there's lots of plant material where they can habitate."

Ticks and mosquitos cause problems for more than just the people they bite -- they're also a threat to livestock farmers across the state.

"Ticks can cause issues with livestock, and mosquitos as well," Fidler said. "They transport a few important diseases, ticks are more of a concern with that. We haven't heard of any statistically higher issues than normal yet, but I wouldn't be surprised if at the end of the summer, we've seen an uptick in some of those diseases."

Fidler added that there is no hope in sight for the pest population decreasing, at least until next winter.

"This winter is supposed to be colder than last year, so hopefully that will take care of it," he said. "Until then, just do the normal things you do to repel bugs -- DEET and other sprays, wearing pants tucked into boots when you go into the grass."

sharris@blythevillecourier.com