While it's common to be concerned about ticks when preparing for a hike or going into a wooded area, experts say there has been an increase in the amount of ticks in areas that may seem the safest.
Whether they ride on the back of another animal or are able to discover a particularly vegetated area, these critters are being found in more suburban, residential areas than some may suspect, said Sina Kianersi.
Kianersi is a graduate student in Indiana University's department of epidemiology and biostatistics, and is working as a research assistant alongside assistant professor Oghenekaro Omodior on a study about the risk of tick exposure and tick-borne diseases.
"It's easy for you to tell individuals, 'Ticks are … in the wild, (so) use personal protective measures,' but often it's not common practice in residential areas," Omodior said. "(Helping people) understand the risk of tick exposure in residential areas is one of the things this study hopes to achieve."
