this post was submitted on 07 Apr 2024
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UK Nature and Environment

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Last summer I took my family on a walk through the woodlands that surround the hamlet of Ebernoe, in Sussex. My children clambered on fallen trees, my partner and I hunted for mushrooms, and all the while we were being hunted by creatures more ancient than the last dinosaurs – and so hungry they would have fed on us for days.

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[–] tophneal@sh.itjust.works 9 points 1 year ago (3 children)

Oppossums eat ticks. Hopefully some other animals have gotten in on that party too

[–] pearsaltchocolatebar@discuss.online 11 points 1 year ago (1 children)

They eat ticks when they have no other choice. That study that sparked the "opossums will eradicate ticks" legend gave the opossums only ticks to eat.

Chickens, on the other hand, will destroy any pest population they can get to.

[–] tophneal@sh.itjust.works 2 points 1 year ago

I knew they ate more than just ticks, but this good info to know!

[–] SteefLem@lemmy.world 9 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I think some chickens do also eat ticks

[–] Transporter_Room_3@startrek.website 5 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Anecdotally, after getting chickens and with a family of opossums in the woods out back, I haven't seen a tick on my boots or my dogs in many months.

[–] SteefLem@lemmy.world 4 points 1 year ago

I should get me some chickens…and opossums….and woods.

[–] huquad@lemmy.ml 3 points 1 year ago

This is a common mistake. It's pronounced "oppossum".