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Tick season in Colorado expected to be intense after mild winter

Krdo · · 433 words · By Danny Mata
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What to know about Tick season in Colorado expected to be intense after mild winter

Tick season in Colorado expected to be intense after mild winter COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.

Claims checked 10
Techniques found 0
Topics 0

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage
Left0%
Center75%
Right25%

4 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

Tick season in Colorado expected to be intense after mild winter COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.

Why it matters

(KRDO) -- Experts report an increase in tick cases is occurring across Colorado, driven by a historically warm winter.

Common ground

This increase has prompted state officials to conduct surveillance training, while veterinarians project a significant rise in cases this year.

Perspective signals

No major persuasion pattern has been attached yet, so the source, headline, and evidence should carry most of the weight for readers.

open_in_new Read the original article: https://krdo.com/news/wildlife/2026/06/08/tick-season-in-colorado-expected-to-be…

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 10 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

info Single Source 4
help Insufficient Evidence 2
verified Verified 2
cancel Disputed 1
verified Verified By Reference 1
help
Claim 1: “He warned that in some dogs, asymptomatic forms of these diseases can lead to kidney damage and immune system effects by the time they are discovered.”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was provided in the search results regarding asymptomatic tick diseases causing kidney damage in dogs.
verified
Claim 2: “Dr. Chris Roundy, the Colorado state entomologist at the Colorado Department of Health and Environment, explained that winter typically limits tick populations.”
VERIFIED
Multiple sources (CAFNR, PMC, and a general tick FAQ) confirm that winter temperatures and freezing conditions typically limit tick activity or populations, and that warmer winters allow them to remain active.
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web search NEUTRAL — Jan 7, 2025 ... When fall or winter weather goes below freezing, the ticks become inactive and hunker down under the leaf litter for protection. But during warm ...
https://www.caryinstitute.org/news-insights/feature/ticks-wi…
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web search NEUTRAL — Apr 29, 2026 ... When winter temperatures rise above freezing, ticks can become active even in midwinter. “These shifts are contributing to increased tick ...
https://cafnr.missouri.edu/stories/changing-missouri-weather…
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web search NEUTRAL — ... winter biology of this species would help further understand its northern distribution limit. ... If winter temperatures generally increase in the future, it can ...
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2648658/
cancel
Claim 3: “Once ticks latch onto dogs, they can then transfer to humans, according to experts.”
DISPUTED
Sources contradict each other. One source (Bella+Duke) explicitly states 'No' to ticks transferring from dogs to humans, noting they are picked up from the environment. Another source (web search result 1) states it is 'very rare' that you catch one directly from a pet. This contradicts the claim that they 'can then transfer' as a common expert-backed occurrence.
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web search NEUTRAL — Jul 19, 2018 ... Ticks can bite people, but it is very rare that you will 'catch' one directly from your pet. You would be most likely to pick one up when walking through long ...
https://themewesvets.co.uk/blog/post-215-can-humans-be-affec…
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web search NEUTRAL — May 15, 2024 ... Dogs and cats often come into contact with ticks when they are outside. Like humans, pets can get sick with tickborne diseases. In addition, ...
https://www.cdc.gov/ticks/prevention/preventing-ticks-on-pet…
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web search NEUTRAL — Can ticks transfer from dogs to humans? ... No. Ticks are picked up from the environment and once a tick is attached to a host, it will not leave until they have ...
https://www.bellaandduke.com/dogs/expert-advice/dog-health/t…
info
Claim 4: “Dr. Robbir Unsell, a veterinarian and owner of Red Rock Veterinary Health, has already observed a higher incidence of tick infestations this year compared to previous years.”
SINGLE SOURCE
This specific observation by Dr. Robbir Unsell is mentioned in the KRDO article, but no other independent source confirms his specific observations or identity in this context.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — May 27, 2026 · In addition to general family medicine, I have a strong interest in pediatric care, ensuring that our youngest patients receive the attention they need to grow up healthy and thrive. My…
https://islandhealth.org/our-providers/ali-salari-do/
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web search NEUTRAL — Browse our directory of providers at Island Health. Our call center staff are also available to help you find a provider that best fits your healthcare needs.
https://islandhealth.org/find-your-care-team/
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web search NEUTRAL — Fidalgo Behavioral Health is a Mental and Behavioral Health Clinic based in Anacortes, WA.
https://www.cardonpsych.com/
help
Claim 5: “Bug sprays with DEET are also effective.”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was provided in the search results regarding the effectiveness of DEET for ticks.
verified
Claim 6: “Dr. Roundy described the surveillance method, saying it involves taking a cloth and running it through tall grass in areas where ticks are present.”
VERIFIED
Multiple sources (WOUB, PDF on Citizen Science, and Outdoor Illinois Journal) describe 'tick dragging'—using a cloth in tall grass—as a standard method for active tick surveillance.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Community-engaged passive tick surveillance involves the collection and analysis of ticks from the environment by a designated facility. Typically, members of the public submit ticks they find on them…
https://outdoor.wildlifeillinois.org/articles/community-enga…
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web search NEUTRAL — Active surveillance, collecting. ticks on a cloth dragged through potential tick habitat, is widely recognized to suffer from being a. low-sensitivity method of tick detection.Tick dragging sites gene…
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/323538928_Citizen_S…
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web search NEUTRAL — He drops the tick in a test tube and continues dragging the cloth. Collection efforts like this will help researchers learn how and why tick populations are spreading.The number of ticks collected on …
https://woub.org/2024/07/22/as-tick-borne-diseases-spread-ra…
info
Claim 7: “Based on current observations, Dr. Unsell projects a 10% to 20% increase in tick cases this year.”
SINGLE SOURCE
The 10% to 20% projection is attributed to Dr. Unsell in the KRDO search result, but is not corroborated by any other independent source.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Dr. Robbir Unsell, a veterinarian and owner of Red Rock Veterinary Health, has already observed a higher incidence of tick infestations this year compared to previous years.Based on current observatio…
https://krdo.com/news/wildlife/2026/06/08/tick-season-in-col…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — After two tick bites 50% of people will develop antibodies to alpha-gal, a sugar molecule found in the tick's saliva, van Nunen explains. After that, they have a 15 to 20% chance of becoming allergic …
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cj6g03567edo
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web search NEUTRAL — Project Zomboid but I live in a car. Call Me Kevin. 963K views • 1 year ago. 30:32.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gVMb7AmuU_o
verified
Claim 8: “Ticks are known to spread several diseases, including Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Colorado Tick Fever, and Lyme disease.”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
Wikipedia entries explicitly confirm that Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Colorado Tick Fever, and Lyme disease are all tick-borne illnesses.
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Colorado tick fever (CTF) is a viral infection transmitted from the bite of an infected Rocky Mountain wood tick (Dermacentor andersoni). It should not be confused with the bacterial tick-borne infect…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colorado_tick_fever
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) is a bacterial disease spread by ticks. It typically begins with a fever and headache, which is followed a few days later with the development of a rash. The rash i…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rocky_Mountain_spotted_fever
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — A spotted fever (also known as spotted fever rickettsiosis) is a type of tick-borne disease which presents on the skin. Spotted fever infections include Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Rickettsia parker…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spotted_fever
+ 3 more evidence sources
info
Claim 9: “The state is conducting tick surveillance training to monitor the situation. This week, training includes areas in El Paso and Teller counties.”
SINGLE SOURCE
The specific training in El Paso and Teller counties is reported by KRDO. While Wikipedia confirms these counties exist in Colorado, no other news source corroborates the specific training event.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Colorado Springs, CO, Metropolitan Statistical Area is a United States Office of Management and Budget defined Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) located in the Colorado Springs region of the Sta…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colorado_Springs_metropolitan_…
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — El Paso County is the most populous county in the U.S state of Colorado. As of the 2020 census, the population was 730,395, surpassing the city and county of Denver. The county seat is Colorado Spring…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Paso_County,_Colorado
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Town of Green Mountain Falls is a statutory town located in El Paso and Teller counties of the U.S. of State of Colorado. The town population was 646 at the 2020 United States Census with 622 resi…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_Mountain_Falls,_Colorado
+ 3 more evidence sources
info
Claim 10: “Experts report an increase in tick cases is occurring across Colorado, driven by a historically warm winter.”
SINGLE SOURCE
The claim is explicitly stated in the KRDO web search result. However, other search results for Colorado ticks (e.g., the 2019 article) refer to different timeframes or general trends, and no other independent news source in the provided evidence corroborates this specific current report of a 'historically warm winter' driving a current increase.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — (KRDO) -- Experts report an increase in tick cases is occurring across Colorado, driven by a historically warm winter. This increase has prompted state officials to conduct surveillance training, whil…
https://krdo.com/news/wildlife/2026/06/08/tick-season-in-col…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — After weathering a long, cold winter, we are definitely looking forward to the warm summer days on the horizon. Unfortunately, as the temperature rises, so will something else: the number of ticks and…
https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/nature/colorado/tick-increas…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Colorado health officials recognize 'challenging' reporting delays as number of measles cases tick up. Denver7 brought concerns to CDPHE about the weeklong delays amid concerns that the virus may now …
https://www.denver7.com/news/state-news/colorado-health-offi…
info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.