their victim from the vegetation and later crawl into the soft tissue, where they attach themselves. Dog ticks are less harmful, except to dogs, from whom they can in sufficient numbers remove a dangerous amount of blood. Deer ticks often carry Lyme disease, which is endemic to the region. Mosquitoes The mosquito is a pest everywhere in Massachusetts. Mosquito control has reduced the presence of the pest in the Newbury region. A few cases of eastern equine encephalitis virus, carried by mosquitoes, occur each year. Poison ivy Poison ivy is indigenous to all the woodlands of Massachusetts. It especially loves the margins of paths. On Plum Island it grows in every thicket and in mats along the sand. The visitor is cautioned at the visitor center to learn to identify its shiny leaves with three leaflets. See also Parker River National Wildlife Refuge Sandy Point State Reservation Notes Bibliography Pamphlet available at the refuge. External links Barrier islands of Massachusetts Bay Circuit Trail Beaches of Massachusetts Ipswich, Massachusetts Islands of Essex County, Massachusetts Islands of Massachusetts Massachusetts natural resources Newbury, Massachusetts Newburyport, Massachusetts Rowley, Massachusetts Tourist attractions in Essex County, Massachusetts Villages in Essex County, Massachusetts Villages in Massachusetts