Ticks do not suffer any adverse consequences from carrying the bacterium that causes Lyme disease in humans. A single host animal can be the source of bacteria for many tick larvae. A deer tick feeds only once while in the larval stage. There are no known cases of a human's contracting Lyme disease through contact with white-footed mice.
Lyme disease is caused by a bacterium transmitted to humans by deer ticks. Generally deer ticks pick up the bacterium while in the larval stage from feeding on infected white-footed mice. However, certain other species on which the larvae feed do not harbor the bacterium. Ttherefore, if the population of these other species were increased, the number of ticks acquiring the bacterium and hence the number of people contracting Lyme disease-would likely decline.
Which of the following, if true, most strengthens the argument?