CHICOPEE, Mass. (WWLP) – Temperatures are heating up and spring is here. That means cases of tick-borne illnesses, particularly Lyme disease, are on the rise across the country.

Natasha Wright an Entymologist at Bramen told 22News, “Anytime it’s not freezing or there’s a frost you should be checking for ticks summertime obviously is when it really pops up right now you’re getting those small ticks that are getting on you and later on in the summer you’ll get the adult ticks.”

As those pesky arachnids roam the ground this time of year there are some ways to decrease you or your furry friends chances of getting one.

Some tips Use a chemical repellent with DEET, permethrin or picaridin, wear light-colored protective clothing, tuck pant legs into socks, avoid tick-infested areas, be sure to check yourself, your children, and your pets for them, and if any ticks are found carefully remove them.

And, while taking every possible precaution is recommended, living here in Massachusetts is already a risk factor. According to the CDC over 95-percent of Lyme disease coming from ticks occurs in just 14 states, the Bay State being one of them.

When ticks do attach and feed on humans the skin will become red and irritated and appear almost as a bullseye rash. When your dog or cat has ticks on them they can transport them into the home and onto humans.

So for pet owners like Carl Reiner from Springfield, he makes sure to check his poodle every day, “So I look down here, and if I see a little black something, and of course he thinks I’m playing so he makes it a little harder. And once I find it I’ll just continue the process of getting it out there before it does latch in.”