Ticks are disgusting little blood-sucking parasitic arachnids, common to the Highlands of Scotland. Many of them also carry pathogens such as Lyme Disease, which humans are very susceptible to and which require a course of antibiotics.
With long grass and rushes that get brushed past as you walk across the croft, we’ve always been aware that we can pick up ticks.
In previous years we’ve had to remove a few each season despite wearing long trousers, tucked into wellies, long-sleeved shirts and gloves. They have a remarkable ability to winkle their way through and under even tight fitting clothing, and are virtually undetectable until they’ve latched on, and even then take some finding.
This year we’re suffering a plague of them. I’m not the only one to comment on this so I know that it’s not just increased exposure to them because we now have cats bringing them in on their fur.
The cats receive monthly tick treatments which are supposed to ensure that ticks will drop off if they do connect with the cats skin. But we’re finding them on both cats daily, latched on and happily feeding. The plague seems to have developed resistance…
Lots of people have advised that keeping chickens or guinea fowl will help reduce their numbers significantly. Both are voracious feeders of ticks.
We’ve always wanted chickens for their eggs, but now it seems we have another reason to love them.
Ravencroft Skye 
We are having a bad year for ticks, too! What’s weird it to be, say, sitting at my computer, and suddenly feeling something land on a finger, and finding tick. Where did it come from???
I find the yard cats can mostly keep themselves clear. Which is good, because too many ticks can become deadly.
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Yes, normally our cats do too, and if they do get any attaching they drop off dead almost immediately. But this year has been different, and dreadful. We seem to be spending our lives removing them from the cats and each other. Evil
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They definitely have their cycles. Last year, we saw almost none. This year, just in May, we’ve seen more than in all the years we’ve been living here, combined. For our area, they’re the only thing that rivals mosquitoes as the nastiest insects. Both are especially hard on the critters and wildlife on severe years like this one.
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When we lived in the high-altitude Rockies, ticks were a big issue for us. Our barn cats always dealt with them on their own, we never found any on them. But the Livestock Guardian dogs and livestock had issues. When our chickens lived in the barnyard with the livestock and LGDs we stopped having any issues with ticks in that area – they kept it clean. So I think that could definitely be a successful option for you.
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The only time I have found ticks on my dogs was after a visit to my daughter when we had been on a walk and Roo had wandered into lots of bracken. Horrible things! I imagine that the ticks get a mutation resistant to whatever the usual treatment is and those ones go on to multiply. I do hope the season ends soon for you.
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Thank you- I fear it will be like this until the frosts come now
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Yes, some strategically placed roaming chickens would help solve the issue. Are there any local birds or animals that eat them and could be encouraged?
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The only ones I know of are chickens and guinea fowl.
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Apparently some ants will eat them too.
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