Dry Weather and Tick Numbers: What's the Link?

In Hanover, Germany, a curious trend has been spotted. Ticks, those tiny blood-sucking bugs, are becoming scarcer. Researchers have been keeping an eye on these creatures in city parks since 2017. They noticed that droughts might be the reason behind the decline in tick populations. Ticks thrive in damp conditions. So, when rain is scarce, their numbers drop. After the dry spell from 2018 to 2020 and another in 2022, tick counts plummeted. In 2017 and 2018, there were around 25-26 ticks per 100 square meters. By 2021, this number had shrunk to just 6, a dramatic decrease of nearly 75%. Even after a wet year in 2021, tick numbers remained low in 2022, 2023, and 2024. However, fewer ticks might not necessarily mean fewer problems. Some ticks carry serious diseases like Borrelia, A. phagocytophilum, and Rickettsia. The number of infected ticks varies widely depending on the location. So, while droughts may reduce the overall tick population, the surviving ticks could still be a health hazard. This study highlights how climate change, particularly droughts, can significantly affect tick populations in urban areas. It's a reminder that nature is full of surprises. What's bad for ticks might not always be good for humans. But it's also a cautionary tale: as the climate shifts, so do the health risks we face.