Hot weather arrives and a professor warns of the misconception we have about ticks: “Unfortunately this is not the case”

As soon as the temperature climbs, so do the ticks. In Finland, sightings of the blood-sucking bugs known as puutiaiset – or more simply, ticks – have already passed 13,000 this year, according to data from the Punkkilive app, developed by the University of Turku and Pfizer. And the season isn’t just getting started... it’s already well underway.

According to Ilari Sääksjärvi, professor at the University of Turku’s biodiversity unit, as reported in Finish media, the spike in reports isn’t necessarily unusual. Ticks wake up fast once temperatures rise, and this spring was no exception. “We saw pretty high temperatures already weeks ago,” he said. “That, of course, activated the ticks.”

But it’s not just the climate giving them a boost. After months indoors, people are finally back outside - hiking, picnicking, and brushing up against the tall grasses where ticks wait. More people in nature equals more human-tick run-ins.

Ticks in the city

One of the most dangerous misconceptions, Sääksjärvi warns, is that ticks don’t show up in cities. “People often think urban areas are somehow tick-free,” he said. “Unfortunately, this is not the case.”

Urban parks, even in large cities, provide enough warmth, moisture, and undergrowth for ticks to survive. City dwellers should be just as alert, especially during warmer spring holidays like May Day.

In fact, Finland’s ticks are not only thriving but expanding their territory northward at a striking pace. Once limited to more temperate southern zones, sightings now stretch up past Oulu, and soon, Rovaniemi. Climate change is the reason. With milder winters and warmer summers, the environment is becoming more suitable for ticks across a larger area. “That tells us something is changing in our environment,” said Sääksjärvi. “And not all of those changes are good for us.”

A bite doesn’t always mean disease – but action required

Tick-borne diseases aren’t new in Finland. Every year, around 10,000 people are diagnosed with Lyme disease (borreliosis), the more common of the two major illnesses ticks transmit. The other, tick-borne encephalitis (TBE), is rarer but can be serious.

Roughly 40% of adult ticks carry Lyme bacteria, but infection isn’t guaranteed. Your immune system plays a role, and not every bite results in illness. TBE, by contrast, is far less widespread – but the Finnish government does offer free vaccinations in high-risk areas, and Sääksjärvi recommends taking that up if you’re heading to one.

If you find a tick on your skin, remove it immediately with a pair of proper tick tweezers (available at any pharmacy). Getting the entire tick out is key - especially the mouthparts. A small, red bump is normal. But if redness spreads, you should consult a doctor.

This year’s warm spring has only accelerated what scientists already expected: another tick-heavy summer, perhaps worse than usual in some areas. And while they may be small, these little parasites are a big reminder that climate change – and its consequences – aren’t confined to weather charts.

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