Record tick numbers reported across Finland this year

Finnish researchers have recorded a record number of tick sightings this year, with nearly 200,000 reports filed as of mid-July.

The surge in tick activity has been attributed to warm and sufficiently humid weather conditions, according to Ilari Sääksjärvi, professor of biodiversity science at the University of Turku.

Last year’s total tick sightings stood at approximately 140,000 for the entire year, while the current count already exceeds that figure by more than 50,000. The highest number of reports has come from the Helsinki metropolitan area, as well as the regions around Turku and Kuopio.

Sääksjärvi noted that tick populations have been increasing nationwide in recent years, a trend he attributes to climate change extending the species’ breeding season.