In case you haven't noticed, the number of ticks seems to be at a high this season in Connecticut.

If you have a dog or even a cat, you may be plucking more ticks off them then you normally would and there's a good reason for it. The number of ticks has definitely increased this year throughout the state.

Get our free mobile app

According to newstimes.com, factors like warming weather conditions this spring, a kind of mild winter, and the discovery of a number of new tick species in Connecticut have led state officials to issue a warning about the increase and also a higher increase in the danger of tick borne illness.

According to the article, as of the end of April, more than double the amount of tickets were collected this year than during the same time period last year. Goudarz Molaei is a Research Scientist and Director of the Passive Tick Surveillance Program at the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, and he cites a number of reasons for the increase in ticks this year including warmer and shorter winters, above average temperatures and more wet conditions in the spring and summer, and environmental swings that effect different activity patterns.

Another major factor is that other tick species have been brought into the state like the Lone Star Tick, the Gulf Coast Tick, and the Asian Longhorned Tick. All have been introduced to the state during the last few years, and all have brought their own specific illnesses along with them. Of course we also have to mention the good old Deer Tick, that has been responsible for Lyme disease for years.

The best way to combat this tick invasion is to make sure your dogs and cats are protected with some type of tick guard, make sure you check yourself after being in areas where ticks are prevalent and be aware of symptoms of tick illness like Lyme disease.

If you do suspect a tick may carry some type of disease, or if you just want to have it tested, you can get all the information you'll need at the State of Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station.

KEEP READING: Scroll to see what the big headlines were the year you were born

More From WZAD-WCZX The Wolf