I love the spring and summer here in the Hudson Valley. The blooming trees, the flowers, the green grass, and the oh-so-many hiking trails. It’s like living in a spring and summer wonderland. There is one thing about the warm weather in the Hudson Valley that I’m not too fond of. Ticks.

My closest friends have two boxers, and they take them for runs daily, even in the winter. Lots of times they’ll go to the woods where the dogs can run free. Well, in the spring and summer it’s likely that the dogs come out of the woods with ticks on them. Which is why I won’t even enter their house until the dogs are checked and ticks removed. The last thing I want is Lyme Disease.

And now the bad news. Pests.org says that this year is going to be bad for ticks here in the Hudson Valley. It says we’ll see a larger than usual population of ticks. Oh great. That’s just what we need following a global pandemic.

But there are ways we can protect ourselves. According to the NYS Department of Health, wearing tightly woven, light colored clothing may help. If you’re out in the woods, leave as little exposed skin as possible, stay out of dense brush, shower or bathe as soon as possible, and check your body for ticks. If you do get a tick bite, watch out for symptoms of Lyme, including a bull’s eye rash that appears three days to one month after the bite. If you do find a tick, the CDC has some great tips on removing and testing ticks.

Does a large tick population mean we have to give up enjoying the woods and trails here in the Hudson Valley? Of course not. But it’s important to be aware of the problem and to make sure you are proactive in protecting you and your family. Happy Trails.

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