Don’t go into the long grass!!
Jurassic park enthusiasts know!
But why you ask?
Fortunately for us it’s not because of the velociraptors. But something dangerous does lurk in the unkempt long grass. Ticks.
You know the little parasitic arachnids? The ones that give you Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain fever. London has seen the population of these little critters explode in the last three years. They have increased in numbers by 800% since 2018. If you have dogs and outdoor cats ask your veterinarian about prevention. For us humans there is no such thing. The best thing you can do is keep your grass cut regularly and check yourself over after being outside in a space shared by deer, coyotes and any other wild animal with the exception of the opossum. If you see an opossum don’t scare it away. A single opossum can eat up to 4000 ticks in a single week! Those odd little creatures are providing a service of protecting you against Lyme disease.
Meet Jeff.
Jeff is an American dog tick. Jeff was caught stealing my blood. Somewhere along a large section of uncut grass he hopped onto my boot and climbed around till he found his seat at the table and began to feast. Many an hour passed before he was found and upon detection my first instinct was to scrape him off. I however thought better of it and consulted the health unit. I was informed of the proper way to remove him to lessen my chances of exposure to Rocky Mountain fever. Being an American dog tick he does not carry Lyme disease much to my relief. Should you come across one of these blood sucking spiders attached to you be sure to remain calm and call your local health unit for instruction and steps.
