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As the weather warms up, many of us are heading outdoors to enjoy the beautiful Ohio landscape. But with the great outdoors comes a not-so-great problem: ticks. This episode of The Big Outdoors delves into the world of these pesky parasites, discussing the recent surge in tick-borne diseases and what's behind it. Joining the conversation is Dr. Risa Pespain, an expert on ticks and vector-borne diseases from the Ohio State University.

Dr. Pespain shares her insights on the changing landscape of ticks in Ohio, including the introduction of the Asian longhorn tick, which is causing problems for livestock producers. She also talks about the diseases ticks can transmit, such as Lyme disease and alpha-gal, a red meat allergy caused by an allergic reaction to a tick bite. The conversation also touches on the impact of climate change and the role of wildlife in the tick population.

One of the most interesting aspects of this conversation is the discussion on the life cycle of ticks, including how they feed and how often they need to eat. Dr. Pespain also shares some surprising facts, such as the fact that adult ticks are active year-round and can be found on white-tailed deer even in the winter.

If you're concerned about ticks and want to learn more about how to protect yourself and your pets, tune in to this episode of The Big Outdoors News Radio 700 WLW Cincinnati. Dr. Pespain also shares some practical tips on how to collect and submit ticks for research, and discusses the importance of understanding the tick population in Ohio.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.