Moose ticks emerge early in Finland, raising concerns for hunters and nature enthusiasts

Hunters and nature enthusiasts need not venture into the forest alone this year, as the population of moose ticks has emerged unusually early. According to Hannu Ylönen, an emeritus professor at the University of Jyväskylä, the milder weather conditions could be a contributing factor. The lifecycle of moose ticks begins when larvae drop from moose to pupate at the end of winter.

Ylönen explains that by monitoring daily temperatures, one can predict when the tick season will commence, whether in August or early September. Despite having studied moose ticks for a decade, Ylönen expresses surprise at how little research has been conducted on these pests.

Five facts about moose ticks reveal that once they hatch, they climb onto vegetation to await a host. On moose or deer, they feed on blood and reproduce, shedding their wings once they find an appropriate host. For ticks, flight is a matter of survival; if they choose the wrong host, like a human, they face certain doom. Though a tick bite can cause skin irritation or allergic reactions, they do not transmit diseases like mosquitoes, as they cannot fly from one human to another after biting.

There is minimal information on how ticks select their host, but the host must be large and visible against the sky. In an experiment comparing how ticks reacted to dark and light clothing, it was found that more ticks latched onto dark fabrics. According to Ylönen, wearing white or smooth-textured clothing, as well as mosquito nets, offers the best protection against these pests. Ticks are additionally influenced by the populations of moose; where there are more moose, tick numbers also increase. They avoid flying in rainy conditions or when temperatures drop below five degrees Celsius. Many forest-goers have their own methods to repel ticks, ranging from consuming garlic to applying ant repellent on their skin, though Ylönen doubts their efficacy, noting that if a reliable repellent existed, it would already be widely available.