Local health officials said the snowy winter and green spring are causing a noticeable increase in the tick population.
Park City mother of two Lydia Kluge said that’s consistent with an experience she and her family had earlier this week near Trailside Park.
“[We] came home, started getting ourselves ready for dinner, and my husband noticed a tick crawling out the top of his shirt,” Kluge said. “So, he was quite alarmed, and took his clothing off to check for more ticks and came across four ticks in his clothing. My daughter did have two ticks crawling inside her dress. And in my leggings, I found a tick and then one on my arm as well.”
She went to Facebook to warn others and heard back from many in the area who had similar recent experiences.
“I think one friend said their tick count was up to 20 this year in their family, and someone else said that they'd seen five on them,” she said.
Others said they found the bugs on themselves and pets in the Park City area and elsewhere in northern Utah.
Kluge said she doesn’t want to alarm people about the outdoors, just to raise awareness. She and her family are halfway through a challenge to spend 1,000 hours outside this summer and don’t plan to slow down.
As for the bloodthirsty arachnids still out there, she just encouraged people to check themselves and get rid of any unwelcome guests they might bring home from the woods.
“I don't want to put people off enjoying the beauty outdoors and the trails or anything of Park City, but I think it just makes sense to be smart about it and keep an eye out,” Kluge said.
Ticks are most prevalent in Utah during snowmelt through mid-July.
Wasatch County Health Department Epidemiologist Chris Smoot said statewide data shows an increase in the number of ticks over last year; 2022 was the first year the Utah Department of Health and Human Services collected ticks.
However, DHHS said reports of tick-borne illnesses have not increased so far this year. Nationwide, tick activity is above average, and there have been more cases of tick-borne illness than normal.
Infected ticks can carry bacteria, viruses and parasites that can cause illnesses. While Lyme disease is the most common tick-borne infection in the U.S., Utah State University said the most common in Utah is Colorado Tick Fever. This virus can cause fever, body aches and fatigue, typically for one to 14 days, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
More information on ticks and local health department locations are available here.
