As summer heats up, so does tick season, and with it comes the risk of Lyme Disease. Dr. Dylan Wyatt, an emergency medicine physician at Aspirus-St. Luke’s, answers some of questions on the topic.

Do we know why it’s such an active tick season?

Ticks are more active when the weather is warm and wet. A mild winter and early spring gave them a head start this year. More deer and mice also mean more ticks.

What should people know about Lyme disease and its spread?

Lyme disease is spread by deer ticks. Not all ticks carry it, but the longer one stays on you, the higher the risk. Ticks usually need to be attached for at least 24 hours to spread Lyme Disease.

What are the symptoms of Lyme disease?

The most common early sign is a red bullseye-shaped rash surrounding the area of the tick bite. This shows up over the course of a few days. People might also feel tired, have a fever, or sore joints as days go by. Early recognition and treatment is very important – if not treated, it can get worse and affect your heart, joints, or nerves.

How can we protect ourselves and our families?

Wear light colored, long sleeve shirts and pants when outside, especially in grassy or wooded areas. Use bug spray with DEET, permethrin, or oil of lemon eucalyptus – take care to check the labels of these products for how often they should be applied and anything that must be avoided while using them (cats, for instance, should not come in contact with permethrin).

After coming indoors, check for ticks. Check over your whole body (and the bodies of kids and pets) at the end of the day being outdoors. Pay special attention to the armpits, underwear lines, and socks. Showering right away can help wash off ticks before they bite.

If we find a tick on ourselves, what’s the best practice for taking it off?

Use tweezers to grab the tick close to your skin and pull straight out—don’t twist. Clean the spot with soap and water. Write down the date you found it, just in case you notice symptoms later.