Rising Tick Bites Spark Climate Reality and Online Conspiracy Theories

A surge in tick populations, particularly in Maine where winter ticks have caused significant moose calf mortality, has triggered a wave of online conspiracy theories. While scientists attribute the ecological crisis to climate change, with average temperatures in Maine rising significantly since 1985, social media users are spreading unfounded claims of human-engineered biological warfare. Viral posts allege that pharmaceutical companies like Pfizer and Valneva are dumping boxes of ticks on farms to boost Lyme disease vaccine sales, or that the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is linking genetically modified cattle ticks to red meat allergies. These narratives, promoted by figures such as Dries Van Langenhove and groups like the MAHA Moms Coalition, ignore scientific facts, such as the distinct species causing Alpha-gal syndrome. Despite the misinformation, the underlying trend is real: ticks are appearing earlier in the year and expanding into new territories across the United States due to warming temperatures, posing increasing health risks to both wildlife and humans.