A risk of picking wild blackberries

I had been picking wild blueberries for about 45 minutes the morning of Sunday, July 2, when I noticed this tick crawling on my pant leg. After taking a few photos of it, I killed it. Ticks are common throughout much of North America.

The tick I show here can be identified as an adult female dog tick by the white badge on the upper front of its body. Dog ticks are often found on dogs that spend time outdoors. The most well known disease spread by the dog tick is Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Lyme disease is carried by another kind of tick called the black-legged tick.

Always check yourself for ticks after being outdoors in grass, weeds or brushy fields. Take a shower as soon afterward as possible. Ticks wait on the ends of grass blades and leaves to grab onto passing animals and you.