Submitted by Glen Estill,
Sources of Knowledge
No, not the video social media, and yes, it is spelled correctly.
Sources of Knowledge is sponsoring a talk on ticks at the Parks Canada Visitor Centre on Saturday March 25th at 7PM. Admission is free. Donations accepted.
I have to confess, I haven’t been concerned much about ticks in our area. I have hiked the trails extensively since I moved here 20 years ago, and only ever had one tick. But a few years ago, a friend of mine had her sister visiting from down south, and so I was asked to come along on a hike to Devil’s Monument, the biggest flowerpot on the Peninsula just south of Dyers Bay. It was a beautiful hike, and we impressed the visitor. Until she was halfway home.
As she was driving through Hanover, she noticed a tick on her. She is quite a cautious person, so she drove to emergency at the hospital, and had the tick removed. At the time, the protocol was to send the tick off for testing. Sure enough it tested positive for Lyme disease.
So, ticks are here. And some of them have Lyme disease.
Ticks are also fascinating creatures. There is a species of African tick that can live for up to 8 years without food. Talk about intermittent fasting. And you don’t want to be bitten by the lone star tick; some people who are bitten by the lone star tick become allergic to red meat. Bizarre. There is lots of fun stuff to learn.
We have two presenters. Kimberly O’Hare is a wildlife biologist that works for Environment Canada. She has studied cavity nesting birds, frogs, and turtles, and seems to love her work. She will discuss all things that make ticks tick. Dave Thomson is a retired local physician, and will review the medical issues association with ticks, and Lyme disease in particular.
We look forward to seeing you at the Tick Talk!
