This year’s deer hunting season has begun, and many options are being considered for how to lessen the impact of the continuing infestation of deer ticks on Martha’s Vineyard.

A post-summer report says tick populations are up, especially the newest species of disease-carrying arachnid to invade Martha’s Vineyard: the lone star tick.

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

With tick-borne diseases a growing matter of public health concern on the Vineyard, education and prevention are more important than ever, a leading expert said.

The recent death of a seasonal resident with an apparent case of tularemia has sparked renewed discussion about tick-borne illnesses.

Dukes County and the Island boards of health are sponsoring a Martha’s Vineyard Tick Fair on Saturday, July 28.

Maps prepared by cartographer Chris Seidel document the spread of deer ticks, dog ticks and lone star ticks.

The county will take over the tick-borne illness prevention program led by Island biologist Richard Johnson.

Public health officials this week confirmed the third case
of tularemia contracted on the Vineyard.

A four-year-old boy from Newton is this year's first confirmed case of tularemia on the Vineyard, but state and Island health officials stopped far short of sounding an alarm this week over a new outbreak of the rare bacterial infection.