Explosion of tick biting in Burlington

The Hamilton area is facing an infestation of brown dog ticks and health authorities are worried an influx of Lyme disease-causing ticks will follow.

“Lyme disease is on the radar,” says Jim Miner, President of Action Pest Control Services in Burlington. “We have definitely seen a stead increase in Burlington for the past three years. Right now, we average 2 calls per day regarding ticks!”

Lyme disease is spread by black-legged ticks, which are prevalent in much of the United States and increasingly being found in southern parts of Canada over the past couple of decades.

In Ontario, the ticks are known to inhabit Long Point Provincial Park, Turkey Point Provincial Park, Rondeau Provincial Park, Point Pelee National Park, Prince Edward Point National Wildlife Area, Wainfleet Bog Conservation Area and the St. Lawrence Islands National Park area.

But the Public Health Agency of Canada believes the ticks’ foothold in the province will expand because of warmer winters, migratory birds and mammals carrying them and other factors. Hamilton is listed by the agency as being on the cusp of a high to moderate risk of an influx in woodland areas.

To help monitor the situation, Hamilton’s health department is asking people to bring in ticks they find. The department wants to identify the species and note any black-legged ticks, which the department would then test for Lyme disease.

So far this year, 42 ticks have been turned in. Of those, 41 were dog ticks. One was of the black-legged variety and came from outside Hamilton.

Last year, the health department took in 76 — all dog ticks. There were five reported human cases of Lyme disease in Hamilton in 2012, two of which were confirmed. Both of those people received their tick bites outside the Hamilton area.

And while there is no hard evidence of ticks or humans with Lyme disease this year in Hamilton, health authorities wonder whether a huge increase in dog ticks being noticed by owners and vets might be a bellwether for the arrival of black-legged ticks.

The No. 1 factor is warmer temperatures.     

Mr. Miner believes warmer temperatures over the past few years have a lot to do with the growing numbers of dog ticks he is noticing.

“We are seeing more (dog) ticks than we ever have before,” he says. “Over the last three years, we’ve noticed an increase, but this year, it’s especially bad.”

If you are not sure, please give our office a call and we will clearly give you a free inspection to identify!