Thanks to Leslie Anthony for permission to share the following nature-lover’s wellness alert.

“It’s spring and the deer #ticks are out in #Pemberton, one of the most heavily infested areas on the South Coast due to high deer (primary host) and rodent (secondary host) populations. This is a sub-adult tick, about the size of a freckle; it bites but so do smaller nymphs and larger adults; all can carry a range of diseases of which Lyme is becoming most common. Ticks are found along animal trails and since mountain bike trails = de facto animal trails, best to take proper precautions and check yourself over after every ride. The good news: after May, the tick hazard drops significantly.”