Tick season is off to an early start across the U.S. Here's what that means for Minnesotans.
The month of April has seen nearly 100 emergency room visits for tick bites nationally, according to the CDC. That's the most for April since 2017.
At the Metropolitan Mosquito Control District's entomology lab in St. Paul, Vector Ecologist Jordan Mandli closely studies some of Minnesota's least-appreciated pests.
The jump in ER visits this month, related to tick bites, could be due to a number of factors, he said.
"It's kind of a combination of a lot of things. Ticks might be more active, there might be more ticks, people are encountering them in places where they don't expect them, and part of it is we're doing a really good job of informing people about ticks and tickborne diseases," said Mandli.
Mosquito control workers spotted the first deer tick of the season back on March 9, but ticks can show up as early as January, Mandli said.
The correlation between that first sighting and how bad the season is, is hard to pinpoint, he said, but so far tick numbers are about average.
In Minnesota, Mandli said surveys have shown about 30% of black-legged ticks are infected with the bacteria that cause Lyme disease.
If a tick bites you, doctors say to remove it right away and wash the area with soap.
If you're in an area known for ticks, like long grassy areas, long sleeves and long pants can help prevent bites, so too can tick repellants. It's also important to check for ticks when you head home.
"Check yourself, check your pets or whoever else was with you, especially children," said Mandli.