(If you’re walking on a trail, stick to the center.) Ticks thrive in warm, humid areas with plenty of vegetation to hang out in.Ĭonrad says that’s the perfect environment for “questing” by ticks. The first thing to know to protect yourself, Conrad says, is to avoid walking around overhanging branches and tall grasses.
Whatever the cause of tick populations, “You can pretty much count on them being active from now until November,” she says. The warm winter may not help, but Conrad says deer overpopulation is the key factor. Kirsten Conrad, the Virginia Cooperative Extension‘s agriculture and natural resources agent for Arlington County and Alexandria, says it’s hard to know how plentiful ticks will be this season. Unfortunately, it also means it’s time to watch out for ticks.
Spring is getting serious in Northern Virginia, and that means more time enjoying the great outdoors.
