Bay Area has ticks, and Lyme disease « Bay Nature

Do you live in the San Francisco Bay area? Do you wonder if there is Lyme disease in the area? I've talked with hundreds of people in the last 10 years about Lyme disease. Those from the bay area almost always say "Isn't that just something that they have back east?"

If that's what you think, or somebody that he knows thinks and you would like them to be brought up to date on the prevalence of Lyme disease in the bay area, then check out this link:

http://baynature.org/articles/bay-area-has-ticks-and-lyme-disease/

The article downplays the danger a bit, by its tone, but read the comments posted by readers, taking issue with the numbers, and recounting their stories.

The take-home message?

• Contrary to popular belief, ticks do not fall from trees.
• Contact with wood is the most dangerous spot to be in. 
• The greatest amount of young ticks live in Oak and Douglas fir woodlands, in leaf litter and on logs
• Sitting on logs is the riskiest behavior when it comes to ticks during this time of year.
• A transitional area from one type of habitat to another, such as the conjunction of woodland and grasslands holds high populations of young ticks.
• Beware especially when clearing brush along a forest's edge.

-Bob