There are about 200 species of ticks in the United States. There are two to three common species of ticks here in Western New York.

Chief scientist with the Buffalo Society of Natural Sciences, Holly Schreiber, says they’re often compared to the size of a sesame seed. They have a small head, oval shaped body and eight legs. They’re commonly found in high grass, brush and foliage.

“We suggest, when possible, long sleeves and long pants, and lighter colored clothes help you see them because they’re dark so you can see a tick walking around on you a little bit easier,” Schreiber said. “You want to shower as soon as possible when you come in from outside and make sure you do a full body tick check as well.”

Tick season in Western New York generally ends in October, but you could even find them later in the year depending on the severity of winter.