Ticks are already pretty bad this year. Everyone thought that the deep snow cover and cold we had over the winter would wipe a lot of them out. But what actually kills them off is a dry, cold winter. They're already out in all of their glory. Check yourself carefully every time you come inside, even if you’ve just been in your backyard. A mown lawn helps. Ticks like to sit on top of blades of grass and plants and on leaves that you brush up against. It sounds like they're everywhere! They travel inside on dogs and cats and can live inside for two weeks before dying from dehydration. Two weeks is a long time.

Remember that a 20-minute spin in the dryer is your friend — it helps to kill ticks on shoes and clothes. If a tick is attached to you, it can be removed by pulling straight up (https://www.cdc.gov/ticks/after-a-tick-bite/index.html) with tweezers, without twisting. You can also get tick removers at Otterside Animal Hospital.

Preventive measures include spraying your clothes with permethrin. Keep in mind permethrin is known to be harmful to cats (https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2018/07/11/627843581/if-you-spray-your-clothes-with-permethrin-be-careful-around-the-cat), so use it with caution. Also, use a sticky lint roller before coming inside, and wear long pants that you tuck into your socks.

If you see a tick, carefully remove it and let your doctor know. Be on the lookout for a bullseye rash surrounding the bite, but also be aware that tick bites don’t always cause a rash. If you start to feel flu-like symptoms or experience random and sudden swelling in a joint within a few weeks of your tick bite, you absolutely should see your doctor.

Now for mosquitoes... the deadliest insects on planet Earth! Believe it or not, more people die from mosquito bites than from any other bites — including dogs, lions, or even venomous snakes! You're not supposed to slap the mosquito on your arm, but flick it off. If you slap it, you could crush the mosquito before it's done feeding, which can squeeze a small amount of the mosquito back into the bite and increase the risk of exposure to any pathogens it might be carrying.

People in the U.S. sometimes die from encephalitis and West Nile virus spread by these little buggers! Although it’s not a frequent occurrence, it is wise to try to avoid being bitten. Use DEET for the best protection. Other things that folks swear to help are Repel, Avon Skin So Soft lotion, natural repellent sprays with lavender and lemon essential oils, and hat clips with dragonflies attached, giving the effect that the dragonflies are flying above your head. Dragonflies are natural predators of mosquitoes.

These insects are obviously trying to wipe out the human race! But we can do our best to mitigate the harm by being observant and careful.