– Andy Stevenson, Quantock Hills National Landscape
Since 2014 the rangers from the Quantock Hills National Landscape Team have taken part in a national survey carried out across 32 National Parks and National Landscapes (formerly AONBs) in England and Wales to help assess the proportion of ticks and prevalence of those carrying disease, especially Borrelia. This is one of four major multi year research programmes studying tick populations and tick borne disease (TBD). The survey is co-ordinated by UK Health Security Agency (formerly Public Health England), who send out the kits each year and then receive the ticks at Porton Down to assess over the summer.
The rangers, with volunteers, carry out the survey in May each year when the bracken is starting to grow and the weather is getting warmer. Bracken is an important habitat for ticks but some wooded areas are surveyed as well. Though research is showing that ticks are found in the majority of habitats that you find mammals, either grazing livestock or native wild mammals, in the Quantock Hills.
The surveys consist of a white cotton sheet being dragged over the vegetation and the ticks found collected and put into pots to be sent off. For the survey to be valid at least 50 ticks are required (nymphs and adults) from each of the 4 locations surveyed. Some years the rangers have had to vary the locations due to the lack of ticks; for example, where an area has had the bracken cut or where the controlled burn has taken place over the winter there are usually less ticks present afterwards.
There are a number of diseases that ticks can carry. The one of interest is Borrelia species, a genus of bacteria with some species known to cause Lyme disease. There are 20 species of ticks in the UK but the Ixodes ricinus or sheep/deer tick is the main carrier of Borrelia. Other diseases, such as Anaplasmosis, which is caught from Anaplasma phagocytophium bacteria is also found in ticks though symptoms are not as severe as Lyme disease in the majority of cases.
The results show that the Quantocks has a low percentage of ticks carrying Borrelia – usually less than 1%, but some areas nationally have up to 8%. This does however change from year to year.
The survey does not address tick densities or seasonality, though other studies nationally have shown strong increases in tick populations overall. However with climate change, it is likely ticks will become more active during milder winters, with less activity during very hot summers.
You are most likely to come across a tick when you find one on your dog or possibly on your legs if wearing shorts. The general advice is to wear long trousers but to check yourself after you have been for a walk or ride on the hills.
For more information please visit the following links:
Ticks and lyme disease (quantockhills.com)
Tick bite risks and prevention of Lyme disease: resources – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)