Quebec's public health institute is warning of a possible spread of the black-legged tick population in the province due to climate change.Posted: May 08, 2024 4:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 3 hours ago
To produce these maps, surveillance data was used to determine areas where established tick populations are located. Climate projection data for rising temperatures was also analyzed to identify areas where conditions would be favourable for the establishment of ticks in the future, the INSPQ says. "The maps developed make it possible to visualize where these ticks reproduce and survive in the present time and where they could establish themselves in 2030, 2050 and 2080 according to climate projections," the INSPQ says on itsThe more established tick populations, the greater the risk of exposure to tick-borne diseases, the website says.
But it's not easy to deal with ticks, according to Quebec-based entomologist Morgan Jackson, who has a PhD in insect taxonomy.