By WJBC Staff

CHAMPAIGN – Summer brings an increase in tick-borne illnesses, so a University of Illinois expert says it’s a good idea to take precautions against the tiny insect.

Entomology professor Brian Allen said spraying your clothing with a repellent before venturing into the woods or grassy areas can help keep ticks away. Allen recommends doing a “tick check” before entering your home, because ticks typically don’t attach right away.

“A tick can be on you potentially for several hours without having an opportunity to transmit an illness,” Allen said. “If you remove that tick before it becomes fully attached, even it that tick is infected you can prevent yourself from becoming fully exposed.”

Allen has advice for anyone who didn’t remove the tick before it latched on.

“The best way to remove a tick is to grab it with a pair of tweezers or forceps and apply slow, steady pressure until it pops loose,” Allen said.

Allen added that other methods like burning the tick can increase the chances of contracting a disease.