HARTFORD, Conn. — Connecticut residents who have hit the hiking trails or hung out in their backyards have likely run into ticks.
The tick that transmits Lyme disease is known as the deer tick.
Last year, the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station collected more than 4,000 ticks from submissions across the state and tested them for Lyme disease. 26% of those ticks came back positive for Lyme.
RELATED: Steps to ship a tick in Connecticut
Over the last 20 to 30 years, the tick population has been expanding north through New England – and growing.
The relationship between weather and ticks is complex and research is ongoing. In some places, the climate is becoming less hospitable for ticks, but that’s not the case here in Connecticut.
Temperature and humidity appear to be the main drivers. Deer ticks can survive longer in climates with higher humidity levels. In New England, summers are becoming both warmer and more humid.
Anyone who find a tick on themselves or a pet can send it to the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station for testing. Click here for more information.
Ryan Breton is a meteorologist at FOX61 News. He can be reached at rbreton@fox61.com. Follow him on Facebook, X and Instagram.
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