Nature has a marvelous way of balancing itself. This is particularly true of the insect world. There are trillions and trillions of insects in the world, far more than human beings. If it were not for animals which naturally prey on insects, we would be overrun and life would be impossible.

Fortunately, many birds, reptiles and amphibians eat insects, including ticks, which have the potential to cause Lyme disease and other illnesses. One bird with a particular taste for ticks is the guinea fowl.

The Guinea Fowl

The guinea fowl is one of the oldest species of birds in the world. It is native to the African continent. However, the Helmeted guinea fowl has been introduced in several countries around the world for both food, and pest control.

A guineafowl resembles a partridge, but with no feathers on the head. The Helmeted guineafowl, as the name suggests, has a small crest. They are about 16 to 20 inches tall and can weigh as much as 3.5 pounds. Continue reading →

Checking for ticks on your body is relatively easy, and should be done every time you come back from being outdoors, especially if you live in a rural area in the Northeastern US.

One of the main diseases carried by ticks is Lyme disease, caused by a bacteria spread introduced into the blood when a tick latches on to feed for 24 or more hours.

The main carrier of Lyme disease is the black legged tick, also known as the deer tick. Lyme disease is named after Lyme, Connecticut, the ground zero of Lyme disease, which was discovered in the 1970s. Lyme is present in 14 states, from Maine down to Virginia and over to Minnesota. However, it has been diagnosed in all 50 states due to travel having become more common.

Why is Lyme Disease So Easy to Spread?

Lyme is not the only serious tickborne illness, but it is rapidly becoming the most common. One of the reasons it is so easy to spread is that ticks are so small. Continue reading →