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It’s spring and that means time to get outside and do yard work, or spend some time at a park. But you might have noticed more insects outside this year. Pam Holz with the Washington County Conservation Board says it’s not just because of the early start to spring. She says the warm winter means that we didn’t get the flash freezes that keep bugs in check. Many insects that go dormant during the winter survived, and in much higher numbers than previous years. She says gnats, mosquito, and ticks are already out this year, and often they aren’t around until summer.

Steve Anderson with the Conservation Board gave us some tips on how to avoid what might be considered the most intrusive of these insects, Ticks. He says if you are headed into an area with tall grass or weeds, to tuck your pant legs into your socks because ticks have a natural drive to climb up.Tucking in your pants will give you more time to notice the insect before it makes contact with your skin.

He also recommends spraying your clothing with a bug repellent. If the ticks do bury their head under your skin, he says to cover the area with something that will cut off the tick’s air supply so the tick will leave on its own. Grabbing the tick and trying to pull it out will often leave the head in your skin.

For more on ticks and other insects listen to our In Touch program today.