MASON CITY — Watch out for blood-sucking hitch-hikers if you’re walking in woods and grasslands this summer.
It looks like another good year for ticks, which can cause debilitating Lyme disease.
“It’s been a pretty good crop so far,” said Lyric Bartholomay, a professor of medical entomology and head of the Lyme Disease Surveillance program at Iowa State University.
“The ticks are out there,” said Brian Hanft, manager of environmental health service for the Cerro Gordo County Department of Public Health. “The trick is, how do you control them?”
Hanft said ticks are generally stopped by DEET-based repellents. He recommends a concentration of 35 percent DEET, which lasts longer than the 15 percent variety. Other tips:
If you walk in the woods or in tall grass, wear a long-sleeved shirt and pants, and tuck the pants into your socks. Light-colored clothes make it easier to see the tiny critters.
