Tick populations continue their rise in Pennsylvania

Suggested Intro:

THE TICKS THAT CARRY LYME DISEASE CONTINUE TO BE MORE PLENTIFUL AROUND PENNSYLVANIA, AND AN ENTOMOLOGIST IN PENN STATE'S COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES SAYS THAT MEANS HIKERS AND OTHER LOVERS OF THE OUTDOORS SHOULD STAY VIGILANT. CHUCK GILL HAS DETAILS:

Story:

(:14) LAST FALL, AN APPARENT SPIKE IN THE POPULATION OF BLACK-LEGGED TICKS -- COMMONLY CALLED DEER TICKS -- CAUSED ALARM FOR HUNTERS AND OTHERS TAKING TO PENNSYLVANIA'S WOODS. NOW AS SUMMER APPROACHES, PENN STATE EXTENSION ENTOMOLOGIST STEVEN JACOBS SAYS IT SEEMS LITTLE HAS CHANGED:

Jacobs Actuality:
(:11) "WE'RE ALSO SEEING AN UNUSUAL NUMBER OF TICKS THIS SPRING. AND I THINK THAT IS JUST A CONTINUATION OF WHAT WE'VE SEEN OVER THE LAST TWO DECADES IN TERMS OF THE NUMBER OF TICKS -- SPECIFICALLY THE NUMBER OF DEER TICKS -- IN PENNSYLVANIA."

(:07) DEER TICKS ARE A THREAT BECAUSE THEY CAN CARRY LYME DISEASE, SO JACOBS SAYS IF YOU'RE PLANNING TO VENTURE INTO TICK TERRITORY, YOU SHOULD TAKE PRECAUTIONS:

Jacobs Actuality:
(:09) "THESE ARE THE SAME RECOMMENDATIONS WE'VE HAD FOR YEARS. FIRST, KNOW YOUR HABITAT. IF YOU'RE GOING INTO A VERY BRUSHY, WOODED AREA, WEAR REPELLENTS, AND CHECK YOURSELF WHEN YOU COME BACK."

(:06) JACOBS SAYS DEER TICKS ARE NOW FOUND IN VIRTUALLY EVERY COUNTY IN PENNSYLVANIA. FROM PENN STATE, I'M CHUCK GILL.

Learn more:

Penn State Lyme Disease Web Site

UPTICK IN DEER TICKS PUTS HUNTERS, HIKERS AT RISK (from the College of Agricultural Sciences news archive)