26/02/2026
Great article about ticks! Be aware and check ā
Ticks carry all sorts of diseases other than Lyme disease and these are known as co-infections, such as Babesiosis, Bartonella, Erlichia and many others. Each of these have different and similar symptoms making it difficult to diagnose and treat.
I have a Tick repellent that I make (as mentioned in Julia Behrenās book, Lost in Lyme) and also a Tick Kit that helps reduce the chances of infection. Drop me a message or DM for more information ā¹ļø
You pull off your walking boots after a mild winter stroll, completely unaware that a precise biochemical procedure has just been performed on your ankle.
The Myth: The "Winter Freeze"
When it comes to vector-borne diseases, we comfort ourselves with the myth of the killing frost. We assume that freezing temperatures eradicate tick populations, and that our woodland walks are entirely safe until the warm, humid days of late May. We believe that because the trees are bare, the parasites are dead.
The Scientific Reality: The Biochemical Scalpel
The Castor Bean Tick (Ixodes ricinus), the most prevalent tick species in the UK, exposes the flaw in this comfort.
Why do you rarely feel a tick biting into your leg? Because a tick bite is not a crude, mechanical puncture; it is a highly evolved pharmacological event. To feed unnoticed for days, the tick secretes a complex saliva cocktail into the wound.
This fluid contains natural anaesthetics to numb the skin, antihistamines to prevent the tell-tale itch and swelling of an allergic reaction, and anticoagulants to keep the blood pooling. It essentially paralyses your immune systemās local alarm bells, allowing the parasite to anchor itself firmly into your epidermis with a cement-like protein cone without you ever feeling a thing.
What is Happening Right Now (February)
Right now, in late February, the UK is witnessing a profound phenological shift.
Winter does not kill ticks; it merely pauses them. They survive the deep cold by sheltering under the insulating layer of woodland leaf litter in a state of suspended animation known as diapause. They are simply waiting for a thermal trigger.
Historically, this awakening occurred reliably in spring. Today, driven by milder winter weather patterns, that trigger is being pulled months earlier. Ixodes ricinus breaks diapause and becomes active whenever ambient temperatures rise above 5Ā°C to 7Ā°C.
On any mild February afternoon, these ticks are actively "questing." They climb to the tips of dormant bracken or dead grass stems, extending their forelegs to detect the carbon dioxide, vibrations, and body heat of a passing host. They are awake, and they are hunting.
Why This Matters Ecologically
This expanded activity window dramatically changes the landscape of public health. Ixodes ricinus is the primary European vector for Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacterium responsible for Lyme disease, and is increasingly associated with the emergence of Tick-Borne Encephalitis (TBE) in the UK.
Because the general public does not expect ticks to be active in February, they do not perform tick checks after a winter walk. An undetected tick left attached for more than 24 hours significantly increases the probability of bacterial transmission. Our reliance on the calendar, rather than the thermometer, leaves us highly vulnerable.
Your Action
The Thermal Baseline: Stop looking at the calendar and start looking at the thermometer. If the ground is not covered in snow and the temperature hits 6Ā°C, treat the landscape as active tick territory.
The Permethrin Shield: Do not rely solely on skin repellents. Treat your walking trousers and boots with Permethrin spray. Once dried, this chemical bonds tightly to the fabric and physically neutralises ticks on contact, preventing them from climbing your legs.
The Routine Check: Always tuck your trousers into your socks when walking through rough grass, even in winter. Perform a rigorous visual inspection of your ankles, the backs of your knees, and your waistline the moment you return home. You cannot rely on an itch to warn you.
The Verdict
Not all spring awakenings are beautiful, and spring is arriving earlier every year.
The cold doesn't kill them; it just teaches them to wait.
The tick you don't feel is already awake.
Scientific references & evidence
UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). Tick Awareness and Phenology. (Statutory guidance documenting the >5Ā°C activity threshold for Ixodes ricinus and the increasing risk of winter questing due to climate shifts).
Nuttall, P. A. (2019). Tick saliva and its role in pathogen transmission. (The foundational biochemical breakdown of the anaesthetic, anti-inflammatory, and immunosuppressive compounds injected during a tick bite).
Medlock, J. M., et al. (2013). Driving forces for changes in geographical distribution of Ixodes ricinus ticks in Europe. Parasites & Vectors. (Details the phenological shifts, prolonged seasonal activity, and the epidemiology of Lyme disease and TBE in the UK).
