Exmoor Ticks Extinct?

[Amoeba]

Is it possible that there are some people who just don't pick them up?

I like to go out a lot but I've never noticed a single one in my entire life. Not to say I didn't pick one or two up at some point and maybe just didn't notice, but to me they're pretty elusive.

[enquiring mind]

Entirely possible. I had only ever saw one on my cat before I went to Exmoor. Notably only two of us (out of six) were targeted - both female.

[rawoak]

I picked one up on my leg in the hot weekend just gone. Hate the things.

[NickCantle]

I've had 4 in the past fortnight, but then I do tend to venture off of the path and into the long grass. I'm not really worried about them! If I do end up in the grass, I check myself over a few times before bed and if I do find any, get the special tweezers out.

[Tringa]

In this bit of NW Scotland they are still about, but they have changed over the last few years.

Until three or four years ago they were more common - almost every day spent outside, especially if in shorts, would result in one or two. But in the last week I've been in the garden every day and had a walk in the hills and have had none(though Mrs Tringa got one yesterday).

Also the size of the few we do see has reduced. A few years back most were big enough to be recognisable at a glance. Now they are so small that you need to look very carefully to spot them. I'm guessing we used to get more adult ticks and now it is the young ones.

I assume that like many parasites the eggs can last for months or years so it couold be a while before there are no more.