San Mateo County: Effects of Mowing on Summer Tick Populations

Entomology Report June 2006, San Mateo County Mosquito Abatement District

With the cooperation of the San Mateo County Parks and Recreation Division, the District began a project in late June to assess the effects of mowing on tick populations. The study site, Sawyer Camp Trail, spans six miles along Crystal Springs Reservoir from San Mateo to Millbrae. It is one of the county’s most popular trails for walkers, joggers, and bicyclists.

Ticks were surveyed in three half-mile segments of the trail in the days before and after mowing. Ticks were also surveyed at unmowed sites at Edgewood Park (near Redwood City) and an area south of the San Andreas Trail in Millbrae.

A preliminary comparison of tick density before mowing and one week after mowing suggests that mowing vegetation along trails does not have a significant effect on the numbers of ticks present. However, long term effects still need to be evaluated, and monitoring will continue at both the mowed and unmowed sites on a weekly basis throughout the summer.

Previous related entries:

San Mateo County: Trial Application of Suspend for Control of Ticks, May 2006
San Mateo County: Trial Application of Suspend for Control of Ticks, April 2006