It's January, and Massachusetts is dealing with ticks again
Record breaking temperatures over the weekend have awakened ticks across Massachusetts that were experiencing their version of winter hibernation.
Harvard entomologist Dr. Rich Pollack says ticks never fully go away for the winter.
When the temperature drops below 40 degrees, they simply become what he calls "quiet."
"They drop down into the leaf litter, they pull in their legs and it's essentially a hibernation of sorts," Pollack said.
Just like humans come out of hibernation with warmer weather, Pollack says, so do ticks.
"It's warm enough for people to be out enjoying the great outdoors, raking their leaves and the ticks are stretching their legs. and they find us, sometimes we find them and then they have a feast," Pollack said.
Parents are urged to check kids and pull off any ticks they find and save them for a doctor to inspect.