We all know that with the warmer temperatures, come the pests of summer. Mosquitos, ticks, and so many other creepy crawlers can ruin our summer fun. Some of the insects that prowl around in our back yards can transmit serious illnesses – like Lyme disease.
For the past several years, researchers have been conducting tests to determine the prevalence of Lyme disease in different parts of the United States.
The hope is that armed with this knowledge, they can predict future prevalence and prevent some people from getting the disease. From 2011 through 2015, they collected their data and have put together forecast maps that show where the ticks with Lyme disease can be found this year.
In May 2017, the most infested areas will be in the Northeast and upper Midwest. Below is the forecast map published in PLOS ONE. The states where people need to be more cautious are shown in red.
