Tick season is alive and well in Vermont, even with snow on the ground.
At the beginning of April, the Vermont Agency of Agriculture put out a notice on its social media page that ticks had made their return around the state.
Last year, amid the temporary "stay at home" order to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, Vermont Health Commissioner Mark Levine encouraged residents eager to get outdoors to watch for bite-sized pests.
Spring tick activity is generally linked to increased cases of Lyme disease and anaplasmosis, according to a data report from the Vermont Department of Health. Going back to 2004, the department has tracked tick-related emergency room visits using data collection from hospitals across the state.