2019 Expected to Be the Year of the Tick

The weather is warming up and the ticks are coming out already.

Experts say 2019 could be the worst tick season we've seen in years.

With the milder winter, the weather warming up earlier than usual and the lack of acorns last fall, health and insect experts say it's been the perfect storm of tick population growth.

Seems acorn issues led to the explosion of white-footed mouse populations last year, giving ticks plenty to feed on. But now the mice numbers are dropping, so the ticks will be looking for their next meal from us.

Meaning the risk of Lyme disease will be exploding all summer long as well.

Folks in the Northeast are pretty familiar with ticks and the risk they pose, but this year the extremely heavy tick populations is taking the pesky biters as far west as Minnesota and Wisconsin.

So if you have any interest in exploring the great outdoors this spring and summer, definitely take the steps to protect yourself.

Wearing long sleeves and long pants, tucking pant legs into socks, using tick repellent and checking for ticks before going back in your house should probably be routine this year, especially if you live near a wooded area.

And don't forget to check your pets on a regular basis, so they aren't bringing any unwanted insects into your home either.