Concerns regarding tick populations have been raised nationwide by entomology researchers and public health officials, primarily because of unusual winter weather patterns and this erratic spring. Does a mild winter explode or reduce tick numbers? We don’t know—yet. The concern is higher in the American Northeast and Upper Midwest, where deer tick-borne disease rates are highest, but ticks proliferate in every state. The West and Colorado may have a lower incidence of tick-borne disease than other parts of the country, but awareness and education are essential in a rural area like our own. To that end both the Colorado Department…