We also have a lot of ticks in steppe Ukraine, but we have already gotten used to it and are not particularly afraid. It is a scourge for pets. I take bunches of ticks off my dogs in summer.....
And with mushrooms we have much worse because of the drier climate. There is no such a variety of species and the season for collecting edible species is only in spring and fall.
I love the forest for its moisture. It is very pleasant to stand barefoot on a soft cool carpet of moss.... Unforgettable sensations!
With your post it's like being in the forest again)))
Sadly our ticks have Lyme's disease so we have to be super careful in not getting bitten. Mossy forests are my favorite place to be.
НаOur ticks only part of the season can carry some disease, and that is so rare that I do not even know the names and do not really worry about it
It's probably encephalitis.
There's something majestic about forests, they're much older than us.