It is Spring and that means TICKS are back.

Searching for victims.

They carry some pretty serious diseases that can make our lives very difficult. Georgia ticks are known to transmit Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Tularemia, Anaplasmosis, Human Ehrlichiosis and Southern Tick-Associated Rash Illness. The three tick species that bite and cause most of the problems are the Lone Star tick, the American Dog tick and the Black-legged tick.

A tick usually has to be on you for at least 24 hours to transmit a disease.

How do you prevent tick?

Avoid dense vegetation areas.

Ticks can’t jump, fly or climb very high so they latch on with their hook-like claws as your walk by.

Tuck your pants into your socks, your shirt into your pants and button your shirt.

No Shorts.

Spay “Deet” on your clothing and skin. Repellents containing the insecticide permethrin can be used on clothing only.

Check for ticks twice a day. The longer the tick feeds on you, the greater the chance of transmitting disease.

Use tweezers to pull the tick straight out without twisting and leaving mouthparts that might cause infection.