Looks Like Ticks Are Going For A Hostile Takeover This Summer

Talking about ticks is becoming like talking about snow. Every year, everyone says this year will be worse than the last. Except when it comes to snow, chances are pretty much up in the air. But the way it looks right now, ticks are going to continue to be the bane of your existence this summer.

If you scroll through Facebook in the last few weeks since the weather has been actually warming up a bit, news feeds are alive with tales of pulling ticks off their dogs, their kids, and even some other body parts we won't talk about here. Those tenacious little critters are just out to ruin your summer.

In Maine, part of our issue has been snow pack. Because we had so much snow on the ground, the ground never fully froze properly. So basically those stupid little jerk bugs, just sat around dormant all winter. When the weather warmed up and the snow melted, they just stretched their little legs, and immediately went looking for something warm and human to chew on.

In this article, Dr. Thomas Mather had this to say:

They're up and looking for a host hoping something will walk by that they can latch on...we had a mild winter, didn’t freeze too much and because of that, the animal populations were active longer and that enable the tick populations to be active.

For the most part, ticks would rather hang out in tall grass, so hiking in the woods and fields is where you're most likely to encounter them. Your grass in you yard is fairly safe, but not foolproof. You can spray you yard for a little piece of mind. There are many pesticides, both chemical and natural, that can be used. Why not? Anything that can keep you, your kids, or Fido from getting bitten is worth it.

If you are hiking in wooded areas, or out doing yard work, it's advisable to wear long sleeves and long pants. When you come inside, do not immediately put your clothes in the washer. Put them in the dryer on high for at least ten minutes, as the ticks can't survive the heat. Then throw your clothes in to be washed after that.

It's crazy how these tiny little bugs can cause so much havoc in our day to day lives. As if winter isn't bad enough, now we have to spend our entire summer trying to protect ourselves from bloodthirsty little parasites that want to give us diseases. But hey...at least it's not rattle snakes and scorpions!