Tick Tock! Enjoying The Great Outdoors and Staying Safe:

More families are out walking. People, who normally didn’t have the time to get out and walk, are now outside. This increase in outdoors activity is great. With increased outdoor activities due to the corona virus, we suggest being more vigilant for ticks.

We make the following 5 recommendations for preventing getting bitten by ticks.

Before hiking or walking:

1. Wear lighter clothing so crawling bugs may be seen on clothes.

2. Spray before hiking with a bug repellent. Bought or homemade, essential oils: citronella, eucalyptus, rosemary, cedar, and geranium may be utilized as ingredients in bug sprays.

3. Tuck socks over pants, so ticks cannot crawl inside clothing.

4. Wear a hat.

5. After hiking check yourselves and other hiking partners for ticks. If ticks are found or highly suspected, put outer clothing through a drying cycle set on hot which will kill ticks.

Cathy Harragian

P.S. And please take care of your best friends!