Ticks on the rise this spring in Minnesota
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This time of year, warm spring weather marks the start of tick season.
New data shows the number of ticks in Minnesota has been on the rise.
The University of Minnesota’s School of Health says a mild winter and wet spring is to blame for the increase in ticks this year.
"From everything I’ve seen, it seems like it’s going to be a pretty bad season for ticks," Jon Oliver, with University of Minnesota Division of Environmental Health Sciences said. "Most of the diseases that we worry about like Lyme disease are carried by the deer tick."
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In this undated file photo provided by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a blacklegged tick - also known as a deer tick, rests on a plant.[CDC via AP, File]
Minnesotans can protect themselves from the bugs by wearing long pants, using insect repellant and conducting daily tick checks.
There’s a certain way experts recommend removing a tick.
"Take a pair of tweezers and grab it as close to your skin as possible," Oliver said.
The peak season for ticks is from mid-May through mid-July.