Tick season is here! Here’s how to protect yourself

This undated photo provided by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows a blacklegged tick, which is also known as a deer tick. (CDC via AP, File)

Tick season is in full swing, and the pests will be around into the fall.

The Middlesex-London Health Unit (MLHU) has brought attention back to its tick tips. When you’re outside, here is what you can do to protect yourself and your pets:

• Wear light-coloured clothing to see ticks on you better
• Tuck in your clothes
• Walk in the centre of the hiking trail
• Wear bug spray with DEET in it
• Check yourself and remove any ticks with tweezers
• Identify the tick by using the eTick app

The MLHU has a full chart of characteristics and pictures of ticks here.

If you start to experience symptoms of Lyme disease, you should seek medical help immediately.

Symptoms include:

• Fever
• Headache
• Muscle and joint pain
• Fatigue
• A skin rash that looks like a bullseye
• numbness or tingling
• Swollen lymph nodes