It's time for tick talk.

With hunting season beginning soon and lots of outdoor activities at the locations where VNS Federal Services folks work, it’s a good time to remind everyone about the dangers of ticks and Lyme disease. And since experts say ticks are out earlier this year and sticking around longer than usual thanks to warming temperatures, it’s more important than ever to be aware of how to avoid their potentially disease-carrying bites.

Lyme disease is the most common vector-borne disease in the U.S. A vector-borne disease is one that results from an infection transmitted to humans and other animals by blood-feeding anthropods such as mosquitoes, ticks and fleas. Tick bites can also cause alpha-gal syndrome - a condition that causes allergic reactions to red meat.

When a tick feeds on an animal infected with Lyme disease, the tick acquires Lyme disease and can then pass it along to other animals or humans.?Whether working, gardening, hiking, or just enjoying the great outdoors, brush up on these tips to prevent tick bites, recognize if it potentially carries Lyme disease, and get prompt care if needed.

Spray generously.?Before going outside, spray all your clothing and outer garments with a repellant that contains 20 percent or more DEET. Because ticks are so tiny, they often will crawl up and under your clothing. To get the most protection possible, turn your pants and shorts inside out, spray that surface first and then spray the entire outside surface. Same goes for shoes - spray inside and out. When you're finished spraying, blouse your pant legs or tuck them inside your boots to prevent critters from having access.

Turn up the heat.?After you’ve been outside in a wooded area, the first thing you should do is remove all the clothing you’re wearing and put it in the dryer. Ticks are vulnerable to drying out, and the best way to completely kill them is to dry your clothes on high for at least 10 minutes. If you have an electric dryer - which doesn't get as hot as a gas one - add an extra five minutes. Never throw clothes into the hamper or into hot water without first drying them on high heat. Ticks aren’t killed from hot water and leaving them in the hamper puts the next person to touch them at risk.

Wash and check.?Once you’ve removed all your exposed clothing, be sure to promptly shower and perform a “tick check.” Using a hand-held or full-length mirror, review all parts of your body, especially underarms, in and around ears, backs of the knees and between legs, around waist and groin areas, and in and around head and hair. Ticks inherently know to crawl upward until they find thinner areas of skin to bite, such as the groin, behind the knees, the neck, and head. Because children frequently lay, roll, and play on the ground, they have a higher risk of encountering a tick.

Bag it and tag it.?Even with proper precaution, there is still a chance you can catch an unexpected hitchhiker. If you spot a tick on you, it’s important to remove the tick quickly and correctly. It’s important to save the tick in case you ever need to submit it to a lab to be examined for possible risk of infection. Be sure to record the location and date of the bite. It’s best to remove the tick with pointy tweezers, which can help grab it right next to your skin. You don’t want to squeeze the body of the tick, which will push all the germs from its stomach to its mouth, which is attached to your skin.