It’s tick season. Learn how to protect yourself, your family and pets.

It’s finally nice enough to spend time outdoors. Unfortunately, it’s also the season for blood-sucking ticks.

About 40 species of ticks are found in Canada. Of greatest concern: the blacklegged tick, also called the deer tick, which is quickly spreading to new areas of the country.

The blacklegged tick is the primary vector of Lyme disease, which can cause serious, long-term health problems in people and pets. You get Lyme disease when a tick infected with Borrelia bacteria bites you and then feeds on your blood.

Common dog ticks also can transmit diseases, including Rocky Mountain spotted fever.

How do I protect my family from ticks?

The experts at Pest HQ suggest the following:

Take steps to defend yourself and pets, especially in natural areas. Ticks hang from tall grasses and low-hanging branches, grabbing onto hosts that brush against them, so stick to the center of trails.
Reduce tick habitat around your home. Deter wild animals, which bring ticks onto the property, with fencing and by removing food and water sources.
Control rodents on your property. Ticks first get infected with disease-causing bacteria when they feed on infected mice. Make your yard less hospitable to rodents, and use snap traps and live traps to reduce their populations. (Pest HQ sells a money-saving mouse control bundle that ships out fast.)
Some insecticides are approved to control ticks. Spot treat areas of the yard where these ticks live, such as leaf litter and where lawn and natural areas meet. Remember to ALWAYS read the label before using any products.