While the last of winter's frigid winds make their way across Pennsylvania, the growing daffodils herald the return of one of North America's smallest threats: ticks. These arachnids find themselves benefiting greatly from the changing climate. Milder winters and longer summers have allowed many of their hosts to expand further northward. While winter chills initially culled some ticks each year, these freezes occur less reliably. Once rare, diseases like babesiosis, anaplasmosis and Powassan virus are on the rise, along with Lyme disease.

So, what can the Land Surveyor do for protection?

The answer is simple: prepare. Before even leaving the office, the surveyor should be dressed in light (to better spot the dark body of the tick) long sleeves and pants. Pants ought to be tucked into socks, sleeves into gloves; sealing the bare body from ticks and preventing them from climbing undetected underneath clothing. For additional protection, double-sided tape can be placed around the collar of each boot, catching any straggling ticks ascending from the forest floor. Bug spray with DEET and permethrin, considered industry champions, can keep more than just ticks away, and should be applied in a well-ventilated space with time to dry. Permethrin specifically can seep into clothing fibers and will linger for a specific number of washes, depending on the brand. Yet, when the day is done, the surveyor's precaution is not yet done.

While permethrin-laden clothing can kill ticks over a span of time, the use of a lint roller across all reachable parts of the body can catch ticks of any size with ease before the return trip home. Once home, all work clothes should be removed immediately to prevent ticks from migrating to family members or hosts. If not washing, at least toss them into a dryer for 10 minutes on a hot cycle. This will kill any hidden-away pests. Inspect for ticks hiding in the various folds of your boots, as well as in any toolbelt or pouch. A shower will loosen any ticks in hair and make a full-body inspection easy.

But what if, despite everything, a tick makes its way onto you and burrows in? Don't panic! With a pair of tweezers or a tick key, you can easily remove it. Ticks should never be smeared with Vaseline or torched with a flame. These actions can cause them to panic and regurgitate into the bloodstream, increasing your risk for infection. Neither should you try to remove them just with your fingers. An incomplete removal can leave tick parts embedded in the body.

Don’t let this nuisance destroy your time in nature. With these helpful tips, the Surveyor can keep safe and protect their families from tick-borne illnesses this summer!