Finally had your fill of cabin fever and ready to open the gates to outdoor adventures for the entire family? We are, too! Not to bring down the mood, but with warmer temperatures and the humidity Wisconsin is so famous for, other living beings of the eight-legged kind will also be out and about. Here are a few things to remember about tick season:

When is it

April-September (being aware all year long is important, too).

Where ticks hide out

Qooded or brushy areas, tall grass, sandy soil, rivers, and around deer.

Tips for checking for ticks

1. Check as soon as you come indoors.

2. Remove all clothing and check everywhere for them (including ears, armpits, belly buttons, and hair).

3. Bathe or shower right away in warm water.

4. Do NOT throw the clothes you just walked through potential tick territory with in your hamper. Throw them into the washer and clean with the hot water setting.

Follow these instructions for tick removal from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control

1. Use fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skin’s surface as possible.

2. Pull upward with steady, even pressure. Don’t twist or jerk the tick; this can cause the mouth-parts to break off and remain in the skin. If this happens, remove the mouth-parts with tweezers. If you are unable to remove the mouth easily with clean tweezers, leave it alone and let the skin heal.

3. After removing the tick, thoroughly clean the bite area and your hands with rubbing alcohol, an iodine scrub, or soap and water.

4. Dispose of a live tick by submersing it in alcohol, placing it in a sealed bag/container, wrapping it tightly in tape, or flushing it down the toilet. Never crush a tick with your fingers.

Find more information at Centers for Disease Control and Prevention