Here’s a startling, and more so, horrific truth – Plymouth County leads the country in tick bites that result in the spread of disease; and not only one disease like the notorious Lyme disease, but other “co-infections” where a tick bite induces more than one illness in humans.

On November 4, Blake Dinius, entomologist and Plymouth County extension educator, spoke at the Mattapoisett Free Public Library to a full house on the theme of all things ticks. For a solid hour, Dinius gave a comprehensive presentation, enlightening the group on everything from the lifecycle of ticks to best practices in managing the spread of tick-borne diseases.

Starting with types of ticks found in the area – those being deer, lone star and dog ticks – Dinius said that only the deer tick spreads Lyme disease. He said that the name “deer tick” is a nickname for the blacklegged tick abundant throughout Massachusetts.

Many were surprised to learn that ticks were not insects but instead arachnids – you know, spiders with eight legs. Dinius said ticks sit “waiting” for hosts to pass by. It is then that the tick’s hooked leg parts attach themselves.

Ticks also respond to the emission of carbon dioxide from mammals, using senses other than sight and sound, which they do not possess, to find their prey. Once attached, the tick moves around the host until it finds a warm, moist location to begin feeding.

The audience was also surprised to learn that ticks only feed three times during their two-year life cycle. At the beginning of each stage of development – from larva to nymph to adult – the tick must feed. Dinius said that when the tick is passing through the first two stages of life, it will feed on small mammals such as the white-footed mouse, chipmunks, shrews, and even robins. The small animals infect the ticks with disease bacteria such as Lyme, babesiosis, anaplasmosis, and relapsing fever. Then when they arrive on a human host during a feeding phase, the disease is transmitted. When the tick becomes an adult, it seeks larger prey like deer, dogs, and, unfortunately, humans.

Ticks survive in all climates, said Dinius, even in the harsh climates of the north and south poles feeding on polar bears and penguins. Here in New England, ticks easily winter over during their short, but ruthless, lifespans.

Ticks are most active between May and August, Dinius said, and due to their incredibly small proportions – the size of a poppy seed when they are nymphs – they can be very hard to locate on skin and clothing. Even an adult deer tick is no bigger than a sesame seed, he said.

Disease strategies tell the story of just how profoundly the northeast, and specifically Plymouth Country, has been affected by the spread of tick-borne illnesses. In 2014, based on a group of 100,000 people, the national rate of reported infection increased 7.9%. Massachusetts, though, reported a 54% increase over previous years. Plymouth County’s reported rate of infection increased a whopping 109%, much higher than the 2005 reported increase of 71%.

There are presently over 500 new cases of infection reported every year in this region.

While there currently is no government advised protocol issued to control what Dinius described as a “public health crisis,” there are things that we as individuals can do to protect our pets, as well as ourselves, from ticks. On these points, Dinius was very clear: “Protect yourself, your pets, and your yard.”

First, it is imperative to use products designed to kill or repel ticks from your body. Dinius said that applying DEET solutions directly on the skin is critical, followed by spraying clothing, including shoes, with products containing permethrin. Permethrin is not to be used directly on the skin, Dinius said, although it is not a carcinogen, dispelling concerns some in the audience expressed. Dinius stressed the importance of using all repelling agents by “following the directions.”

Dinius noted that ticks do not survive well in open, airy spaces such as lawns and sporting fields. However, they do thrive in warm, damp places like inside leaf litter, wood piles, and lushly vegetated grounds.

“Ticks can’t jump or fly,” Dinius chuckled while impressing upon the assembled the importance of wearing clothing that covered as much as one’s body as possible while outdoors– especially when planning a day of hiking in the woods. Since the ticks are lying in wait in low locations, keeping cuffs tucked into socks and wearing long pants is helpful, he said, along with light-colored clothing. “All the better to see any tiny dark dots.” He also said to check your body thoroughly from head to toe, including the use of a mirror to check those hard-to-see places.

Second, dogs should be treated with permethrin products developed for canines. Cats cannot have permethrin introduced into their bloodstream, but other products are available that are equally as effective, Dinius said. He urged everyone to consult with their veterinarian.

Third, he said for our yards that sprays were fairly ineffective and costly, suggesting that open spaces are preferable when planning one’s landscaping.

While the news Dinius shared was shocking, it was not without hope. Through educating people and medical professionals in the development of better diagnostics, he hopes that infection rates will begin to decrease as they recently have in Barnstable County.

Dinius said if you are bitten, you should collect the offending tick and have it tested to find out what diseases it may carry so you receive proper treatment(s).

“It takes twelve to twenty-four hours for the tick in infect you,” he said. “Seek treatment right away, even though Lyme is hard to diagnose.”

In conclusion, Dinius said, “Our main task is to educate people as means of protection.”

If you want information on ticks, you may contact Blake Dinius at bdinius@plymouthcountymas.gov or by calling 774-773-3404.

By Marilou Newell

Rochester parents … if your preschool son or daughter came home from school on Monday afternoon and asked you if they could raise chickens at home, you can blame it on a rather handsome hen named Dorothy.

Dorothy came to Rochester Memorial School on Monday, November 6, for a little story time with the youngest of the students at RMS – and you could say that the gentle, social, and generally unaware-that-she’s-a-chicken Dorothy charmed the children right to the very heart of their giblets.

“We like to say that Dorothy is the most well-behaved chicken there is,” said Evelyn Golden, Dorothy’s beloved owner and also the Plymouth County 4-H Extension program assistant. Along with Molly Vollmer, 4-H extension director from the Plymouth County 4-H Extension, Golden brought Dorothy to RMS to introduce the students to the science of embryology before the students endeavor to incubate and hatch chicks of their own in the spring.

Golden read the children’s book A Chicken Followed Me Home by Robin Page – rather apropos, since that is exactly how Golden began keeping chickens.

The book mesmerized the kids with fun facts about the ‘familiar fowl’ and introduced the topic of embryology, explaining the life cycle of the chicken from egg fertilization, the 21 days of incubation, all the way through to adulthood.

Golden then took a handful of seeds and slowly coaxed Dorothy out of her crate where she had been waiting, nestled comfortably in the warmth of her wood shavings. But Dorothy was still content from her last feeding on one of her favorite snacks, an apple, so Golden gently picked her up and placed Dorothy on the floor (atop a plastic protective barrier, of course) in front of the youngsters. Above the ‘oohs’ and ‘aws,’ one could hear the sound of little hearts melting.

“Not all chickens can handle a crowd like this, so Dorothy is pretty special,” said Golden. “She likes children and people, but I think that’s because she doesn’t know she’s a chicken.”

But don’t tell Dorothy.

Half of the time, Golden says Dorothy might actually think she’s a human; the other half of the time, she acts as if she were part chicken/part dog. Either way, Dorothy is one chillaxed individual. So, how chillaxed is she?

“Last year during the 4-H fair, Dorothy was so relaxed that she laid an egg right in my lap. That’s how chill and relaxed she is,” said Golden.

Thus, Dorothy is the perfect poster hen for spreading the joy of raising chickens to kids.

Not only was this the first time RMS has ever welcomed a chicken for story time, but this was Dorothy’s very own first visit to a school – and during a follow-up interview, when asked if she would like to visit a school again, Dorothy said nothing would delight her more.

“We’ve never had a real chicken in here before,” said Project Grow teacher Cindy Baronas. Only one student in class raised his hand when the teacher asked if anyone had chickens at home. Half the rest said no, and the other half said “not yet.” But if Dorothy has her way, RMS parents will cave to the request of their kids to keep chickens – if not for the sheer fun of it alone as the kids perceive it, but for the farm fresh eggs. (After all, one hen can lay up to around five eggs per week. With five hens on your yard, that’s a lot of omelets.)

So, perhaps it’s not a question of which came first, the chicken or the egg, but rather which one is the most treasured part of keeping chickens, the affection or the nutrition – the chicken or the egg?

If your little one expresses an interest in animals, including chickens, and would benefit from a youth development program that teaches about leadership, citizenship, and life skills, 4-H can offer a hands-on approach to learning in addition to providing opportunities to make new friends, learn from an adult leader, and gain exposure to things like animals, crafts, sewing, science, fishing, and the environment.

RMS kindergarten teacher Melissa Weigel leads a local 4-H group based out of the First Congregational Church of Rochester known as “Tails n’ Trails,” now in its third year. The group recently won 1^st place in Plymouth County for its window display, now on display at RMS. For more information on local 4-H groups, contact the Plymouth County 4-H office at 781-293-3541.

By Jean Perry