Get the tick repellant and stand by for what could be a rough season for the little blood-suckers in Oklahoma. While it did get cold, we had little ice or snow this past winter. That will help the tick population in Oklahoma flourish.
University of Tulsa Professor of Biological Science Dr. Richard Reeder says the ticks are now becoming active as the weather warms.
Ticks carry various diseases, including Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and Lyme Disease. Both can be fatal.
Reeder says it is import to remove a tick in the proper way. He recommends using tweezers and pulling it straight out. He says do not twist the tick. That could break off the teeth and leave them embedded in your skin.
Professor Reeder also recommends that you place any tick you remove into a Zip Lock type bag. That way, if you should develop an illness, the medical staff will have access to the tick type.