The peak of the European forest tick season this year might be delayed to later dates. This insight comes from Sergey Bugmyrin, head of the Laboratory of Animal and Plant Parasitology at the Institute of Biology, Karelian Research Centre of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Bugmyrin was a participant in scientific events celebrating the Decade of Science and Technology (2022-2031).
Each year, a dedicated team of scientists from the Karelian Research Centre of the Russian Academy of Sciences undertakes comprehensive tick monitoring across specific forest territories. Along these established routes, specialists use parasitological flags to meticulously collect ticks, meticulously documenting their numbers and species composition before dispatching them to epidemiologists for further analysis.
«We conduct monitoring of two distinct tick species: the taiga tick (Ixodes persulcatus) and the European forest tick (Ixodes ricinus). The taiga tick`s peak activity, typically observed in May, appeared quite standard, with a high abundance of ticks. However, the European forest tick has not yet shown a significant surge in its population,» the scientist explained, linking this unusual delay to the prolonged July drought experienced in the region.
As a result of these observations, Bugmyrin hypothesized that the European forest tick activity season would shift to later periods, most likely extending into September.
Given that the peak of tick season frequently coincides with the popular «quiet hunt» (a local term for mushroom picking season), the scientist issued a crucial recommendation for mushroom pickers: always select appropriate protective clothing in advance and conduct a thorough self-inspection after any visit to the forest. «A tick is fundamentally different from a mosquito; it cannot attach to the skin surface instantaneously. It requires a certain amount of time to find a suitable spot,» the scientist emphasized, strongly advising forest visitors to change their clothes immediately upon returning home.
«Should you discover a tick on your person, immediate action is paramount. The longer a tick remains attached and feeds on your blood, the greater the likelihood of transmitting serious infections such as tick-borne encephalitis, borreliosis (Lyme disease), tularemia, among others. I strongly advocate for keeping a tick remover in every home first-aid kit. These devices are widely available in any pharmacy and are specifically engineered to facilitate the most painless and safest possible extraction of a tick,» Sergey Bugmyrin concluded, stressing the importance of sending the removed tick for laboratory analysis afterward.
