The world is teeming with bugs, and they're getting worse. From ticks to mosquitoes, these tiny creatures are spreading diseases and causing allergies, making life less pleasant for humans. The situation is particularly dire in the United States, where the number of vector-borne diseases has doubled in the past two decades. Ticks, in particular, are a growing concern, with Lyme disease, babesiosis, and anaplasmosis on the rise. The spread of ticks is due to a combination of factors, including climate change, landscape changes, and the overabundance of white-footed mice and deer. The situation is so dire that the best predictor of tick numbers is the number of acorns that fell from oak trees the previous fall. The good news is that prevention is possible, and science is making progress in developing vaccines and other methods to protect people from ticks and mosquitoes. However, the most important thing that people can do is personal protection, such as wearing EPA-registered repellents and treating clothing with permethrin.
