In todays Portland Press Herald, Josie Huang reports in "Lyme Disease Threat Comes Back Strong" that winter went easy on deer ticks and the little critters are especially abundant this spring.

Regulars at the Wells Reserve know its a hot spot for Ixodes scapularis and most plan their trail walks accordingly. In this image, the hiker on the left demonstrates a couple of key ways to minimize the chance that a tick will get under her skin. The hiker on the right is poorly prepared for prevention.

1. Tuck pant legs into socks, so ticks climb up your legs outside instead of inside, and
2. Wear light-colored clothing, so the dark ticks are easier to spot and remove.

Its the deer tick nymph, mainly active now through July, that imposes the greatest risk of passing Lyme disease, so take precautions and you can still enjoy the beauty of Wells Reserve trails with a bit less worry.

For more facts on ticks in Maine, we recommend the Maine Medical Center Lyme & Vector-borne Disease Laboratory.