ROANOKE, Va. (WFXR) — Tick season is here. From now through the summer, the tiny bloodsucking arachnids can be found in great numbers anywhere there is tall grass or brush. Ticks are second only to mosquitoes in the spread of disease to humans.

If you spend time outdoors, there are precautions you can take to protect yourself from ticks and tick bites.

• Wear long pants tucked into socks or boots, and wear long sleeves
• Stay to the center of trails to avoid contact with vegetation
• Wear light-colored clothes to provide contrast to easily spot ticks
• Check yourself and others for ticks after going outside

While some ticks do climb and drop onto their victims, most are found near ground level.

You should also routinely check pets for ticks because a tick can grab a blood meal and hitch a ride on your outdoor pet when it comes into your house.