Summer is in now in full swing, which means tick season is too.
Wooded areas and turf grass can be the perfect hangouts for ticks. But luckily, there are steps you can take to protect yourself from a potential bite.
“I always recommend if you’re going in an area where you think you might find ticks to wear long sleeves, long pants and light-colored clothing. The light-colored clothing helps you see the ticks if they are on your clothing much better than dark colors,” said Andres Ortega, an ecologist with the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County.
If you do find yourself with a bite, experts recommend removing the tick slowly but firmly, pulling it straight up from the bite zone. This should be done as soon as possible.
A recent report from the center for disease control showed a steady uptick in the tick population along with tick-related illness over the past decade.
“It could be due to a number of factors, one of which is just a change in climate. As the climate in our area gets more amenable to ticks, we will see more ticks in our area,” said Ortega.
It’s also important to think about your pets, which are just as at risk to ticks as humans.
Naperville News 17’s Peter Medlin reports.