Thursday, April 01, 2010

Ticks on the Move Earlier than Usual ....


Spring has not yet sprung on Cape Cod but warmth is in the forecast, and all those teensy tiny creatures that crawl through the underbrush, will awaken in search of a blood meal, so here's a warning: if you are planning a trip to the Outer Cape this weekend, remember the bug spray. Once a person has had Lyme disease, he/she sees the National Seashore nature park from a totally different perspective. The woods are beautiful, dotted with pristine kettle ponds, but leaf mold, on the forest bed, has revealed itself to be ideal habitat for deer ticks. Since March was warmer than usual, the ticks will be waking up from their winter slumber earlier. The newborn nymphs, as small as the top of a pin, are the most active in the spring ....