SUSSEX COUNTY, Del.- Whether biking, walking, or lounging outside you can catch some rays but you can also catch a tick.
While there are all different types like the Lone star tick, the Deer or Blacklegged tick, and the American dog tick DNREC Tick Biologist Dr. Ashley Kennedy says you shouldn't expect them to fly from above.
"They won't fall off from trees but they will come up from the ground onto a blade of grass or some other low-lying vegetation with their weight with their four legs outstretched ready to grab onto an animal or a person as the case may be.
Ticks carry different diseases that can develop long-term like Lyme Disease. If a tick is on you long enough, Dr. William Chasanov of Beebe Healthcare says they can make people sick with many different symptoms.
"Fatigue, muscle aches, fevers, joint aches, also sometimes like a fogginess and they just don't feel well," Chasanov said. "I would advise them to seek medical advice at that point. Because now we have a tick we have a tick bite but now we have some clinical symptoms."
DNREC recommends cutting grass short and disposing of brush in order to prevent build-up of ticks. Wearing long pants and tucking them into socks is also encouraged where there are a lot of ticks.
According to experts, dogs are at a high risk for tick bites. Most diseases that result from them do not have a vaccine that can help prevent illnesses or ticks from coming into your home.
Veterinarian Dr. Marianne Bailey says preventing Lyme Disease in pets can save them a lot of pain.
"Lyme Disease is definitely one of the diseases that we talk about in our area that can cause problems for pets," Bailey said. "Cause soreness, muscle aches, joint pain. In certain breeds it can cause kidney failure as well."
But Doctor Bailey also warns pet owners to try not to mistake a bump on a pet for a tick. If you are unsure if it is a tick or not, go see a veterinarian to confirm it.
DNREC says the peak season is expected to last through September but tick bites can happen at anytime during the year.