We all hate bugs to some degree, right? There are bugs that you don’t mind being around, and then there are bugs that really well… bug you. There’s a lot of factors that go into bug population rises, and Kansas is part of an area that happens to be making all the right conditions for a surge of our least favorite Kansas residents. A surge of ticks is likely to happen this year, so it’s best to be prepared.
We love our beautiful natural landscapes, but they often bring a few things we’re not too fond of. The National Pest Management Association has put out their yearly assessment for the bug volumes we’ll see this year, and it’s not a fun output.
Patrick Emerson/Flickr
April showers bring May flowers, right? What you might not know, is that warm, wet weather leads to more ticks than usual, and earlier in the year than we’re used to as well. They’re having a great time coming back this spring, and in larger numbers than the average we’re used to.
Patrick Emerson/Flickr
These creepy crawlies might be food for some animals, but we’d still like to go without a surge of ticks or other insects like mosquitoes this year. Unfortunately, we can’t control the population, we just have to prepare ourselves.
Elizabeth Nicodemus/Flickr
Make sure when you go out on all of your favorite nature hikes, you wear long sleeved shirts and long pants, and use an insect repellent that contains DEET to kill off any of them that touch your clothing. If you see one on you anyways, remove it as soon as possible, or have a medical professional remove it if you are not sure if you can do it without crushing the tick or leaving any of its head attached in your skin.
Fritz Flohr Reynolds/Flickr
If you’ve been bitten, make sure to keep an eye out for any fever or rashes for signs of Lyme disease. It’s always better to be safe than sorry, and to catch this before it gets medically serious. Above all, don’t be afraid to have fun this warm season, just be careful and be prepared!
USFWS Midwest Region/Flickr
Of course, the bugs we love come in many forms, like the millions of monarch butterflies headed right through Kansas this year as it warms up.
Patrick Emerson/Flickr
Elizabeth Nicodemus/Flickr
Fritz Flohr Reynolds/Flickr
USFWS Midwest Region/Flickr
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