Outdoors expert shares how to avoid ticks in Central Illinois

MONTICELLO, Ill. (WCIA) — Cicadas won’t be the only ones bugging people in Central Illinois this season. Ticks are on the rise, too.

It’s National Lyme Disease Awareness Month, and experts are telling people to be on the lookout for ticks as rising temperatures draw out the biting arachnid. Experts said ticks can latch on to people from trees, bushes and even the grass.

Alex Lourash, Natural Areas Manager at Monticello’s Allerton Park, said wearing light-colored clothing can make it easier to spot the bugs after walking outdoors. There are also repellents for clothing and skin you can apply.

“They can make you sick. Dogs can get sick from it, too,” he said. “It’s just one of those things that people don’t like the feel of them. And you do have some time to get them off of you before they can transmit diseases. That’s the nice thing.”

Experts said that if you find a tick, never crush it with your fingers. Instead, you can put it in alcohol, seal it in a bag or flush it down the toilet.

For more information on what to do if you get a tick bite, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s website .

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