May 31 -- Minnesota is known for its mosquitoes. Up north, it's our unofficial state bird, and even in the lake-deprived southeast region, this buzzing pest is a constant concern for hikers, campers and pretty much anyone who likes to chill on the deck while watching the sun set.
Mosquitoes are not just an annoyance. They can transmit serious diseases, including West Nile Virus and several forms of encephalitis. That's why the Metropolitan Mosquito Control District spends $6 million annually to spray Twin Cities areas where mosquitoes breed, and across the state, homeowners in mosquito-prone areas routinely spend $500 or more to companies that spray to keep the bugs under control.
We're just coming into prime mosquito season in southeastern Minnesota, so outdoors enthusiasts will need to keep both the sunscreen and the bug spray handy when they venture outdoors.
But in reality, there's another insect that should concern us just as much as does the mosquito -- if not more. This bug doesn't alert you to its presence by buzzing in your ear or causing instant discomfort when it bites you. It's quiet, tiny and insidious, and it can transmit several diseases that, if not caught early, can cause lifelong problems.
Put bluntly, ticks suck. Their numbers appear to be unusually abundant this year, and there's no environmentally acceptable away to dent their numbers with chemical sprays.
If you are a turkey hunter, trout angler or a morel mushroom enthusiast, you probably are quite familiar with the precautions one must take when venturing into the woods, tall-grass prairies or brush-choked creeks at this time of year.
Treat clothing with a product that contains permethrin. Wear long pants, and tuck them into long socks. On your skin, use bug spray that contains DEET. Remove all clothing as soon as you get back inside, and even if you don't wash these items, put them in the dryer to kill any ticks. Shower immediately, and have someone else do a "tick check" on any areas of your skin that you can't see.
But it's not just outdoor adventurers who need to be tick-aware in southeastern Minnesota. Do you occasionally venture into the woods after an errant golf shot? Do you sometimes get down on your hands and knees in your flower bed or vegetable garden? Do your children (or your dog) occasionally wander into overgrown areas of your yard or a park?
The reality is that in Minnesota, if you are standing in grass that is higher than your shoetops, then you are at risk of picking up an unwelcome passenger. It might not bite you right away. It could come into your home, linger on the couch for a few days, and then attach itself to whomever happens to sit on the wrong spot at the wrong time. In other words, you don't even have to go outside to be at risk.
So, what do you do when you or a family member finds an attached tick?
First things first: Don't panic. Get out your phone and take some pictures. Your health care provider might be able to learn a lot from the tick's size and markings. If you've been bitten by a dog tick (which are very common in our region), you're at less risk than if it was a deer tick, which can transmit both Lyme disease and a comparatively little-known encephalitis-like illness caused by the Powassan virus -- for which there is no cure.
Carefully remove the tick with a tweezers, and save it in a sealed plastic bag. Check the site of the bite every day (taking a picture each day is a good idea), and if it shows any sign of a bull's-eye rash or expanding inflammation, contact your doctor immediately. One look at a photo might be all the doctor needs to immediately prescribe antibiotics that should prevent Lyme disease. If you start treatment within 72 hours of discovering an attached tick, you likely will be fine.
This isn't one of those "ignore it and it will go away" situations. While not every deer tick will transmit Lyme disease or some other serious illness, the number of probable Lyme cases in Minnesota hit an all-time high of 2,685 in 2022, and there's little indication that trend line will reverse itself anytime soon.
Our goal isn't to make your skin crawl (although our discussion of this topic had that very effect on us). Nor do we want to discourage people (and especially children) from spending time outside enjoying a glorious Minnesota summer.
But be tick-aware. Check your kids carefully before they go to bed each night. Put on bug spray before you're sure you'll need it. Keep your dog on a leash and on the trail when you venture into a park or natural area.
And unless you have an urgent reason to venture into the woods, stay out. That lost Titleist Pro V1 isn't worth the risk.