Mice may drive Lyme disease more than deer

New research suggests that white-footed mice, not white-tailed deer, are closely linked to increases in young blacklegged ticks, challenging long-held assumptions about Lyme disease drivers. Researchers also found that large acorn crops can predict higher tick numbers two years later. The study draws on data collected since 1991 and emphasizes that the mix of hosts can affect how many ticks become infected.