It’s tick season , and if you’re a  homeowner  in the Northeast, Upper Midwest, Middle Atlantic,  Ohio  River Valley, and even the South, don’t be surprised if they’re particularly active in your area.  Not only are ticks a nuisance, but they’ve also led to a growing number of emergency room visits. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Bite Tracker found that  71 per 100,000 emergency room visits in April 2026 were tick-related — more than double the historical average. You