EVERYWHERE, US — Ticks are typically out from spring through summer and early fall, but 2017 is particularly bad, and here’s why.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the northeastern U.S. experienced warmer winter, which means more ticks survived and were able to reproduce. There has also been an increase in the number of deer and other woodland creatures, which ticks typically rely on as food sources.

The exploding mice population across the northeastern United States allowed more rodents to act as hosts. Below are the problems you might encounter, and some ways to combat them.

Lyme disease, gives humans rashes, swollen lymph nodes and a host of other symptoms. And If you do find one, do not panic, try using tweezers to carefully remove the tick by pulling its mouth out of the skin.

The Powassan virus is a potentially life-threatening disease transmitted by ticks, including the deer tick, which is also the primary vector of Lyme disease. Most people will not develop symptoms, about 15% of those who do will die, at least 50% of the survivors will have long-term neurological damage, and the rest may have symptoms including fever and headache. According to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, there are no vaccines to prevent or medications to cure an infection of the Powassan virus.

Rocky Mountain spotted fever is a tickborne illness caused by a bacterium known as Rickettsia rickettsii. The symptoms include a fever, rash, nausea and muscle pain. It can be treated successfully with antibiotics within five days of an infection.

If you noticed someone in your family or yourself displaying flu-like symptoms, do remember that it isn’t the flu season. It’s probably a tick, so go see a doctor.