As a conservation biologist on the Island for the past 30 years, I have become increasingly concerned about the future of our common pond turtles.

Lone star tick nymphs and adults are spreading and increasing in numbers, data from the MV Tick Programs 2018 yard surveys shows.

I hope some day we will look back at 2017 and say that it was the year the Vineyard community started to really do something about the problem of ticks and tick-borne illnesses.

The real tick season has started as nymphs of both deer ticks and lone star ticks are out and will be present through July.

I want to discuss three techniques for reducing the number of deer and/or ticks.

I would like to thank everyone who has taken the time to write and express their opinions about ticks and tick-borne illnesses on Martha’s Vineyard.