Mice, Not Deer, Drive Lyme Spread | Pierre News

Lyme disease’s real culprit might not be deer after all—new 30-year forest research reveals white-footed mice are the key drivers behind infected ticks, with skunks and squirrels also feeding larvae but less likely to spread the bacteria. Acorn booms fuel mouse populations, which two years later spike tick numbers—and ticks survive extreme weather by hiding in leaf litter. Meanwhile, lone star ticks are expanding northward, carrying alpha-gal syndrome, an underdiagnosed red meat allergy, prompting states like Massachusetts and Missouri to ramp up tracking and education. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/6efdb495260d2ba4