Wait, Deer Don’t Get Lyme Disease?

First, I want to say thank you to everyone who registered for the upcoming Old-Growth Forest Ecology Outing on May 31 and June 1. Both programs are sold out. Stay tuned for more Learn Your Land events this year!

I also want to mention that Exploring Wild Ecosystems will be open for enrollment on Monday, May 12. This is my newest online course intentionally designed to improve your practical knowledge of ecology. If you’re looking to develop ecological literacy and become a better naturalist, consider enrolling on Monday, May 12.

And now on to the newest video…

If you’ve spent enough time in tick-prone areas, you’ve probably seen ticks sucking the blood of deer. Logically, it makes sense that deer would at least be carriers of the Lyme disease spirochete. After all, white-footed mice and other mammalian tick hosts can be reservoirs for the bacteria.

But white-tailed deer are different. Their blood isn’t like the blood of other animals.

Scientists have been studying the relationship between deer and Lyme disease for decades. The newest research is quite fascinating, and in a brand-new video, I address some of the misconceptions surrounding the role of deer in transmitting Lyme bacteria.

Do deer ever get Lyme disease? If they don’t, what is it about deer that makes them immune? If deer are immune, why do ecologists still advocate for a reduction in the deer herd as a way to reduce Lyme disease rates in humans?

You can watch the brand-new video here.

Thanks for reading and watching, and thanks for your continued support!

— Adam Haritan

Salad Burnet ~ April’s Herb Of The Month

Salad Burnet – April’s Herb of the Month

If This Isn’t Good Medicine, I Don’t Know What Is

To find good medicine, look in a forest. In a forest, you’ll encounter plants that have the ability to heal human ailments.

Many years ago, I learned about the medicinal properties of a particular woody plant. This woody plant, when applied to my face as an extract, improved my poor complexion.

Over the years, I’ve been able to maintain a decent complexion thanks to this plant (and thanks to significant lifestyle changes). While I no longer rely on this plant to heal my physical ailment, I do rely on it to address an existential problem.

Plaguing the human species, this problem can be solved if we know where to look.

To learn more about this plant and its ability to offer good medicine, check out the brand-new video.

I’d also like to mention that I’ll be part of the Wild Ones Western PA Chapter’s annual symposium on March 26, where I’ll be joining a panel discussion focused on strengthening communities and native habitats.

You can learn more about the event here.

Thanks for reading and watching, and thanks for your continued support!

— Adam Haritan

Juniper: A Common Evergreen

Juniper: A Common Evergreen

More Earthworms = Less Lyme Disease?

Cases of tick-borne diseases are on the rise, and people are wondering what to do.

Spray more repellent on clothes? Wrap more duct tape around socks? Ingest more Japanese knotweed? Cull more deer?

How about introducing more earthworms into tick-prone landscapes?

It sounds bizarre, but some ecologists are researching this latter strategy. According to a few studies, the prevalence of earthworms is associated with fewer ticks in certain ecosystems.

How is this possible? Why are earthworms associated with fewer ticks? Could the intentional release of earthworms into wild landscapes work as a viable tick-reduction strategy?

In a brand-new video, I address these fascinating questions.

You can watch the video here.