Since I started my Adventures in Birding back in 2009, I’ve
been conducting research about birds and bugs.
There is conflicting scientific "evidence" about the effects of wild fowl
on insect populations. For example, one
report from the Pennsylvania Game Commission claims wild
turkeys consume up to 200 wood ticks per day.
Another study from womenhunters.com claims wild turkeys actually
bring in more wood ticks. I will let the
so-called experts fight it out among themselves, but rather will present my own conclusions
based on 43 years of life spent in the country.
When we first
moved to Stillwater in 1969, there was little wildlife in the area. No ducks or geese, nor any deer, but the dog
ticks were plentiful. The addition
of our horses and dogs seemed to make
the situation worse. Medication helped
the dogs but traditional equine bug spray did little to prevent the infestation
of my horses. In particular, my gray
Anglo-Arab was a magnet for the blood suckers.
In the
early 80s, the wood tick problem actually became worse when my neighbors to the
north added a flock of sheep. White and
low to the ground, these animals made an easy and plentiful target. At one point, the tick infestation became so
bad a trip down the asphalt driveway to get the mail would attract three or
four blood suckers. Perhaps the lowest
point was when we found them scaling the house searching for a way in. I must admit, this revelation brought a
serious discussion about moving.
A turning
point occurred when the sheep left and my last horse died in 1999. The number of dog ticks continued to drop
after my golden retriever passed away in the summer of 2005. However, right around that time the tiny but
deadly deer ticks began moving into the St. Croix River Valley.
The
summer of 2008 registered an alarming number of deer ticks. In 2010 I had four bites, one of which was
serious enough to leave lasting repercussions. Over a year later, it becomes red and swollen
when I get hot and sweaty.
This year
I have not had one wood tick bite. In fact, I have only seen one of each
variety. In late May, I found a deer tick
crawling on my arm, and a week later, I discovered a dog tick crawling on a
stepping stone by the fountain. Additionally,
the number of mosquitoes has also decreased.
While I want to acknowledge the
efforts of twin cities mosquito control, spraying and pellet bombs have been in
use for many years.
I have
heard that ticks and other creepy crawlies go in cycles, but my personal observations clearly indicate a steady decline.
Call it anecdotal information, but these are my
conclusions:
--White or light-colored mammals attract wood ticks.
--Wild birds, especially turkeys, and bats have a huge
impact on controlling
harmful pests.
Well-meaning
friends often chide me for spending so much money feeding my feathered friends,
but I consider this expenditure an investment in my home as well as a hobby. In fact, I think of seed, suet and corn as a reward
to my winged ones for making my land livable again.
Thanks to my beloved birdies,
and turkeys, dog ticks are nearly a thing of the past around Bon Bon Pond. Incredibly, this new deadly disease-carrier
has made me yearn for the good old days of their larger relatively harmless cousins. 
