Ticks, these small arthropods vector of delightful diseases (like that of Lyme in particular) are no longer limited to hiking trails and high herbs of the undergrowth. They now proliferate in the parks and gardens of major cities, posing a new health challenge, reports the national magazine Geographic. Their growing presence in an urban environment forces us to rethink our relationship to nature in the city.
Maria Diuk-Wasser, an ecologist specializing in diseases at Columbia University (New York), observed a spectacular increase in ticks in the gardens and parks of Staten Island, a district of the city of New York. In just a few years, these parasites have colonized more and more urban green spaces, even extending towards Queens and Brooklyn. This phenomenon reflects a national trend in the United States, where tick populations have exploded since the mid-2000s.
Several species of ticks worry American researchers, including deer ticks (Ixodes scapularis), dog ticks (Dermacentor variable) or those “long horns” (Haemaphysalis longieornis). These mites widened their territory, adapting to urban environments thanks to the presence of host animals such as raccoons, foxes, mice, squirrels or even deer. The latter play an important role, as they carry ticks when they travel, allowing them to be installed in the long term in parks and gardens.
Protect yourself in urban areas: good reflexes
The regression of agriculture and reforestation around cities have recreated habitats favorable to ticks and their wild hosts. In addition, the fragmentation of natural spaces creates transitional areas – the edges – where animals and ticks thrive. Climate change also extends the activity season of ticks, which can now survive and reproduce longer thanks to softer winters.
The presence of ticks in town must force us to adapt to limit the risks: we must at least wear long clothes. People working in these green spaces can also opt for textiles treated with repellents. If possible, avoid walking in the tall grass and carefully inspect your body after an outdoor outing, even in town. Armpits, groin, elbow folds, behind the knees and ears, in the scalp: do not neglect anything.
In France, Lyme disease, transmitted by the sheep tick (Ixodes ricinus), also experiences a notable progression, especially in peri -urban areas. According to Public Santé France, nearly 47,000 cases were diagnosed in 2021 and the incidence varies strongly depending on the region, with particular attention paid to the Grand Est. As in the United States, the increase in cases is mainly linked to the evolution of their environment, which pushes the authorities to strengthen prevention and awareness among the public.
Ticks are no longer only residents of remote forests, because they adapt and settle in our urban green spaces. Knowing their lifestyle, understanding the factors that promote their expansion and adopting simple prevention gestures are essential to benefit from nature in complete safety, whether in New York, Paris or elsewhere. Now go and inspect the back of your knees, just to be sure.
