Youth For Public Health

Have you ever had a tick on you? I remember last year, when I was doing yard work on my Grandpa’s house in Martha’s Vineyard, my mom found 3 ticks on me when I was done! I’ve always heard that ticks are bad, and that you should stay away/remove them but I never fully understood how dangerous they are. That was until my dad told me about how one of his newborn patients was very sick on Martha’s Vineyard and they could not figure out the reason until they realized it was because of a tick! 

So in this blog post we are going to learn more about ticks and how they are affecting a coastal island off of Massachusetts using the article The Spread of Lone Star Ticks (Amblyomma americanum) and Persistence of Blacklegged Ticks (Ixodes scapularis) on a Coastal Island in Massachusetts, USA. For decades, Blacklegged ticks have been the primary tick threat on Martha’s Vineyard. They’re infamous for spreading Lyme disease, babesiosis, and anaplasmosis. But a new study reveals a major change: Lone star ticks have now spread across all six towns on the island, as we see the author explain that “lone star ticks have encroached on the range of Blacklegged ticks… becoming more numerous in a wide range of habitats” (Johnson, etc). These species of ticks are not just passing through, they’re thriving!

Researchers analyzed 1,265 yard surveys conducted between 2011 and 2024. Early in the study period, Lone star ticks were almost nonexistent. By 2015, they appeared in small pocketsin Chappaquiddick and Aquinnah. By 2019, they were found in every town. And by 2024? They were everywhere, as the author notes, “By 2024, multiple yards in all six towns had three or more Lone star ticks” (Johnson, etc). This expansion also coincided with a rise in Ehrlichiosis cases.  Ehrlichiosis is a disease caused by a bacteria called Ehrlichia from the lone star tick.  There have also been reports of Alpha Gal Syndrome, a red meat allergy triggered by lone star tick bites. 

However, what’s important to remember about the Blacklegged ticks I mentioned earlier is that they are still everywhere on Martha’s Vineyard! This raises the question on how these two species of ticks coexist. To understand this, in 2023 and 2024, researchers conducted drag sampling along trails on Chappaquiddick.  What they found was mind blowing! 

The first thing they figured out was that Blacklegged ticks dominate in the woods. In shaded forest trails, Blacklegged ticks were consistently more abundant. They found 63 per 0.5 km in 2023 and 68 per 0.5 km in 2024. The study reports, “At each wooded site and year, we collected more Blacklegged nymphs than Lone star nymphs [baby ticks]” (Johnson, etc). 

However, they also found out that Lone Star ticks dominate everywhere else. They were found in both woods and open meadows, making them harder for people to avoid. In open sites, Blacklegged ticks were nearly absent! Lone star nymphs averaged 11 to 14 per 0.5 km, and lone star adults were common too. The authors emphasized, “Lone Star ticks occurred in a wider range of natural and peridomestic habitats… making them far more challenging for people to avoid” (Johnson, etc).

The last key takeaway from the drag sampling was that Lone Star larvae are exploding in number. They found clusters of over 50 larvae at multiple wooded sites, which is a clear sign of a growing, reproducing population. 

You may be wondering why Lone Star ticks are spreading? The study points to several factors. They say it’s because of high deer populations, reforestation and habitat changes, climate and environmental shifts, and most importantly, the Lone Star tick’s ability to thrive in diverse habitats. 

So what can we take away from this new information? We now know that Martha’s Vineyard is now home to two major tick species, each with different health risks. Blacklegged ticks are not disappearing but Lone Star ticks are rapidly reshaping the island’s tick landscape. The study’s message is clear, and it is that public health efforts must now address both species of ticks.