As the ground begins to thaw, temperatures begin to rise, and hibernating animals begin to emerge, tick season is making it's return. Not only are ticks annoying blood sucking parasites, but they can also carry potentially serious diseases. Now that it's tick season again, we would like to remind you of precautions to take while enjoying the great outdoors.

• Use a insect repellent which contains DEET on all uncovered skin. Reapply as frequently as directed on the label. Remember, only use DEET on skin, it will not work on clothing.

• Wear light colored clothing, as dark ticks will be much easier to see on light clothing, check skin and scalp (even if wearing a hat) when leaving a tick area. Wear long pants, and tucking you pants into your socks will help create a barrier between you and the ticks.

• Check areas of the body that are warm and moist, such as the waist or arm pits.

Regularly check household pets for ticks. If you should find a tick on yourself, some one else or your pet, put on gloves, and using a pair of needle nose tweezers, gently grasp the tick as close the the skin as possible and without squeezing, pull the tick straight out. DO NOT use a match or petroleum gel to get the tick to release, as this may cause it to regurgitate stomach contents back into your skin, increasing the risk of infection. Clean the area with soapy water and remember, it's better to be safe than sorry, contact your doctor if you have any questions.

If you are worried about ticks invading your yard, take these simple approaches.

• Create a boarder of mulch or stone around your property that is about 3 feet wide. This should especially be done if your yard is near the woods.

• Ticks do not last too long in bright sun light, so increasing the amount of sun your yard gets will help keep the biters at bay.

• Avoid using deer attracting plants on your property. Not only will they eat your bushes, but they call deer ticks deer ticks for a reason.

• Weed the yard, and keep your grass cut. Ticks use tall grass to attach themselves to passing animals. So making it harder for ticks to do this will force them to greener pastures so to say.

• Work on keeping general pests down. Mice, rats, squirrels, chipmunks can all carry ticks, so keeping the pests at bay will help keep your yard tick free.