Ticks usually go into hibernation during the cold months, but if the winter is mild and snowless, the ticks continue year-round and in January, five times as many ticks were reported from southern Sweden to Uppsala County as during the same period last year, according to a study from the National Veterinary Institute, SVA.
It's remarkable how many have reported ticks this year, says Anna Omazic, a researcher at SVA, to Aftonbladet.
It's unclear why the ticks have increased explosively. In addition to the mild weather playing a role, it may also be due to them starting to adapt to colder weather.
The SVA recommends that those who are bitten write down where and when they were bitten by a tick in order to provide healthcare with relevant information in the event of symptoms.
