More ticks in N.B., but expert says hot summer could bring brief relief

A warmer, drier summer may ease tick activity in New Brunswick, but ticks will remain active in spring and fall, says a Mount Allison University biology professor.

More ticks in N.B., but expert says hot summer could bring brief relief. A warmer, drier summer may ease tick activity in New Brunswick, but ticks will remain active in spring and fall, says a Mount Allison University biology professor. Vett Lloyd, who has studied ticks for more than 10 years, said milder winters and inconsistent weather in recent years have contributed to rising populations. “The main thing is there are more ticks this year, and there is certainly plentiful this spring, we had a huge crop of them, and there will probably be another huge crop in the fall,” she added. Ticks are parasites that feed on blood to reproduce; with a single full meal allowing female tick to produce 2,000 to 3,000 offspring. They often feed on wild animals that carry diseases, such as Lyme disease, and bacteria that can be transmitted to humans an...