Ticks are back for another season as we grapple with warm temperatures.
“If it’s like last years weather we will certainly see a large number of ticks,” said Dr. Neil Chilton, tick expert at the University of Saskatchewan. “It’s going to depend on how many survived over winter.”
Chilton urges people to not be nervous about Lyme disease because ticks that carry Lyme are very rare.
“I get 3000 ticks a year and see eight of the ticks who can potentially have Lyme and only 10 percent of those carry the bacteria,” he said. “The risk is extremely low for people in the province, but it doesn’t mean it’s zero.”
To avoid ticks, Chilton says to stay away from tall grass and wear high boots.
“They’ll crawl on your clothes, but you’ll be able to spot them,” he said.