Ticks in Iowa can carry diseases like Lyme Disease and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.

There are ways to protect yourself from tick bites while still getting plenty of time outdoors. Washington County Public Health nurse Lynn Fisher advises people can avoid tick bites by wearing long sleeves and pants, and by staying in the center of trails, avoiding long grassy areas. Repellents with 20% or more DEET or picaridin are recommended by the Iowa Department of Public Health, along with permethrin products on clothing.

Fisher shares a sign of Lyme Disease is a bulls-eye shaped rash around a tick bite, as well as pain in the major joints that seems to move from joint to joint. If you do go outdoors, check yourself for ticks upon arriving home, especially in skin folds and your scalp. If you find a tick, remove it safely by grabbing it at its mouth parts close to the skin with tweezers and pulling it straight out.