white footed mice and ticks Archives » Tick Control in Central Mass

Is gene editing the answer to Lyme disease prevention?

For the last couple of years, MIT evolutionary biologist, Kevin Esvelt, has been in discussions with residents and health officials of Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket, about the release of transgenic mice to fight Lyme disease.

His research and ideas are part of a new Netflix docu-series, Unnatural Selection. CRISPR is the name of the technology, which allows us to cut and paste DNA into any living thing – plant, animal, human – to change, or arguably improve the DNA of the recipient. CRISPR could be the answer to congenital disease eradication. Alzheimer’s and Cystic Fibrosis could become diseases of the past. But at what cost? Truth is, we don’t know. What does CRISPR mean for Lyme disease prevention?

Is gene editing the answer to Lyme prevention?

Esvelt presents a strong case when it comes to the idea of using CRISPR technology to prevent Lyme disease. It all begins with the white-footed mouse, conveyor of Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacteria that causes Lyme disease. When a tick feeds on the blood of white-footed mice, it contracts the bacteria. This bacteria is then transmitted to humans, who are bitten by an infected tick. About 50% of the residents of Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket report having acute Lyme infection at least once in their lives. Currently, tick control is the only preventive measure we can take against Lyme disease.

white footed mouse

What will happen if we genetically edit the DNA of the white-footed mouse to prevent Lyme disease?

what will an engineered ecosystem look like? While all of this sounds like a wild science-fiction movie, it is real life. The idea is simpler than the science behind it, so I will explain the anticipated outcome of gene-edited mice. Esvelt says that they intend to edit the DNA of 2,000 mice, or less, and release them into the wild. The white-footed mouse already produces natural antibodies for the Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria. Because of these antibodies, not all mice are infected with the Lyme-causing bacteria. The idea is to edit the DNA of white-footed mice, so they naturally produce higher levels of the natural bacteria-fighting antibodies. These transgenic mice will reproduce new generations, who naturally have higher antibodies against the bacteria. When they are bitten by ticks, they will have no Lyme bacteria to pass on to the tick – essentially breaking the cycle of the spread of Lyme disease. The problems is, we are unsure of what an engineered ecosystem will look like. That will not be known until highly-controlled field trials are carried out – long before they can be released into the human population of Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket.

Deer ticks are the main culprits in the spread of Lyme disease. Why not edit the DNA of deer?

For that matter, why not edit the DNA of ticks? The white-footed mouse is the prime candidate for gene editing to prevent Lyme for a couple of reasons. There is a massive population of deer on Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard. One deer can have up to 1,000 ticks feeding at once. Deer are not carriers of the Lyme bacteria, Borrelia burgdorferi. They cannot spread Lyme disease.

gene editing to prevent Lyme disease

Ticks are not viable candidates, because they have a two-year life cycle, and do not become reproductive quickly. Mice can begin reproducing at the age of 8 to 10 weeks, making them the only viable candidate for gene editing to stop the spread of Lyme. Will these proposed measures come to be?

Dave Macchia, tick control enthusiast — Dave Macchia, Central Mass tick control enthusiast

We are likely a couple of years away from field trials and the eventual release of DNA-edited mice – if the proposal is approved by residents and health officials. Until then, it is important that you practice personal tick protection when you are away from home. As always, I recommend professional tick control around your home – all year long.

Fall Is The Best Time To Eliminate Ticks And Mosquitoes in MA

Summer is officially over, kids are back in school, winter is coming, so it’s time to think about Thanksgiving and forget about ticks and mosquitoes, right? Not exactly. Mosquito and tick protection is a year-round concern!

Ticks and mosquitoes are doing their own planning. In short, they’re planning to be in your yard next spring in even larger numbers. Now is the best time to eliminate ticks and mosquitoes. Here’s why.

If you’re a regular reader of this blog, you know by now that October and November are breeding season for ticks. Mosquitoes breed on average every 4 weeks during their 2-3 month life cycle. Cold weather will kill off a few species but most mosquitoes will simply go dormant in cold weather. Eggs laid this fall won’t hatch until next spring when the weather warms.

Blacklegged ticks are most responsible for Lyme Disease and are commonly called Deer Ticks for a reason. Now is the time of year female ticks hitch a ride and drink a blood meal necessary to make eggs. The white-tailed deer is the best resource to provide that last blood meal. They are large enough to supply fully-grown ticks with the necessary blood meal they need to lay eggs. The eggs laid this fall will hatch next spring into larvae. The male ticks don’t need a blood meal since their life is over as adults but they hitch a ride on the deer to simply mate with the females. One deer can nourish thousands of female ticks with their last blood meal before they lay their eggs.

The females will leave most of these tick eggs in the nests of white – footed mice. These mice are prevalent around Central Mass homes and in every state where Lyme Disease is endemic. The newly hatched eggs will become larvae in the spring. The larvae ticks will need a blood meal to move onto the nymph stage later in the spring. Their first blood meal is often taken from the mouse that provided them a home during the winter.

As for female mosquitoes, they will deposit their eggs in damp soil, tree knotholes and anywhere that spring rains will allow the eggs to hatch when the weather turns warm. Like ticks, cold will not kill mosquito eggs. Predation is their main enemy but there are few bugs or other insects out during the winter, so few eggs will be eliminated.

By eliminating adult ticks and mosquitoes in the fall, you can reduce their numbers in your yard next spring and summer. October and November are the peak months for female ticks to get their last blood meal and lay their eggs. You can learn more about the tick life cycle at the American Lyme Disease Foundation website discussing Deer Tick Ecology.

Even if you’re not currently using a tick and mosquito perimeter spray, you can still reduce ticks in your yard next spring. A tick tube program is a highly effective method for eliminating the tick population in your yard before spring. It is specifically designed to eliminate nymph ticks now that will be adults late next summer. A one-time application a barrier spray now will reduce the adult population of both insects, thereby reducing the number of eggs they can lay in or near your yard. Now is the best time to begin protecting your family and pets from infectious bites next spring.

Westminster Tick Control – Break the 2-Year Life Cycle of Ticks

You might think the fall is the end of tick season and that you will soon be protected from tick bites with the approaching colder weather. If so, you are partially correct.

Ticks in Central Mass will begin to go dormant in weather below 45 degrees F. by hiding in the nests of white-footed mice. No amount of cold will eliminate ticks and there’s one other fact you need to know about the fall and ticks.

A tick’s life cycle is usually 2-years long. Ticks that were eggs last fall are now nymphs. They have taken two blood meals to reach this stage in their life cycle. Because of these two blood meals, often taken from several small animals or birds infected with Lyme Disease, they are now the most infectious to humans. Next spring these nymphs will leave the mouse’s nest. They will be the size of a poppy seed, making them difficult to see on our clothes and skin. After their third blood meal next spring, they will become larger during mid-summer and be adults in the fall of next year. At this last stage of their life cycle, the males will fertilize the females and the females will produce a new generation of ticks in your yard.

Westminster tick control is available now, to protect you next year.

Now is the time of year to interrupt the tick’s life cycle in your yard and reduce your exposure to nymph ticks next spring. By using a tick tube program, you can eliminate ticks around your home even before next spring. The tick tubes are placed out now will provide nesting material, treated with tick insecticide, the white-footed mouse will use to build its nest this winter. This nesting material will eliminate ticks in the nest without harming the mice. The net result is fewer ticks in your yard next spring and a head start at eliminating your family’s exposure to ticks all summer long.

When you sign up for Westminster tick control spray treatments next summer, it will eliminate 85-90% of the ticks in your yard all summer long. Treatments are scheduled at your convenience every 21 days. The spray will eliminate newly hatched ticks, nymph ticks and adult ticks in your yard. Ticks brought into your yard by any animals such as squirrels, raccoons, fox and deer will be eliminated by the spray. Using the tick tube program now and the barrier spray next spring through next fall will reduce your exposure to tick-borne infections.

The town of Westminster has posted an online document explaining the Steps You Can Take in preventing ticks in your yard. The document highlights the importance of using a licensed applicator in treating your yard to prevent ticks. A link to a Tick Management Handbook published by the Centers for Disease Control and prevention is also in this informative document.

A licensed Westminster tick control spray applicator will be fully trained and qualified in providing the tick tube and barrier spray services you need to protect you, your family and pets.