Bugs, moose and ticks

With many of us in cottage country fighting with our May/June bugs: black flies usually come out in May in Muskoka, then, when it warms, the ubiquitous mosquito. Living further south, the climate is about 5 degrees warmer and the May Muskoka blackflies have died in our Lanark County heat. (PTL!)

For those who feel sorry for themselves, or grump against the trials and tribulations of nature, read about the poor old moose in Algonquin Park.

Moose are fighting with ticks. They suck the blood from the moose, the moose lick, groom and desperately rub against trees. The healthy moose make it through the winter with them. The ill moose not so much.

little bee

big bee

dragonfly can eat food equal to its own weight
 in about 30 minutes.

incoming!

Winter Tick in Moose and Other Ungulates (CCWHC)This disease is caused by a species of tick known variously as the Winter Tick, Moose Tick, or Elk Tick. Its scientific name is Dermacentor albipictus. The CCWHC has close up tick photos. I have previously grossed out some of my readers, I'll warn you if you visit their site! Ticks in close-up, engorged in moose blood.

The centre also stated that 20,000 female ticks consume roughly 40 litres of blood during February and March alone. On average, a 400-kilogram moose has only 32 litres of blood.
An infestation becomes disease when 40,000 ticks feast on one moose.

For more information (and gross photos!) on winter tick disease, visit the Canadian Cooperative Wildlife Health Centre.

Here is an interesting news item:


With plans afoot to reintroduce moose, beavers, wolves and bears to Scotland, Natasha Stillwell goes in search of their Canadian cousins.

In search of the Canadianmoose 5 min - 10 Aug 2010 Uploaded by STVScotland youtube.com