As you prepare for summer in Muskoka and you’re not the only stretching your legs and getting outside.
The province is warning, when you’re putting your shorts on and getting out into the Muskoka wilderness, be wary of ticks.
Ticks can be found in grassy areas and in bushes as well and will quickly attach to your bare legs if you go off the beaten path.
Minister of Health Eric Hoskins warns the black-legged ticks are the ones to be most concerned about as they are known to carry Lyme disease.
If you find a tick on your arms or legs after going for a hike in Muskoka, you’ll want to remove it carefully with tweezers and put it in a screw top bottle to have it tested by the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit.
In order to avoid getting a tick hitchhiker you should wear long sleeves and pants and avoid straying from the main path when you’re hiking.
Hoskins also suggests using an insect repellent with DEET.
The Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit has announced it will be testing black-legged ticks this year to keep track of the spread of Lyme disease.
According to Health Unit officials, since 2015, there have been four black-legged ticks that were caught in Muskoka and tested positive for the disease.
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