MUNCIE, Ind. -- The unusually mild Midwestern winter may have caused an abundance of ticks and an early start to the tick season, says a Ball State University entomologist.

Ball State's Public Health Entomology Laboratory already has received twice as many specimens this spring compared to the same time last year, said Robert Pinger, a professor of physiology and health science.

"The winter was unusually mild and we've seen an early start to tick season," Pinger said. "We don't usually have the harsh winters that freeze the ground three to four inches deep where the ticks hide through the bad months. Mild weather allowed the season to start a little earlier."

It is questionable how long the season will last. Ticks don't do well in hot, dry weather. Depending on the amount of rain, we could have a short or long tick season, he said.

Pinger said every Indiana county has reported at least one of the four types of ticks common to the state, including the American dog tick, the lone star tick, the blacklegged tick and the brown dog tick.

The American dog tick is found throughout the state and is the primary carrier of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. The lone star tick is found in southern Indiana, carrying both the Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and ehrlichiosis.

The blacklegged tick is found in 38 Hoosier counties and carries Lyme disease. It is found mostly in northwestern Indiana, but is slowly moving across the state, being carried by deer and dogs.

Lyme disease is caused by infection with Borrelia burgdorferi, a spiral shaped bacterium. Most of the ticks that infect humans are young and very small - only slightly larger than the period at the end of this sentence. The disease is transmitted when an infected tick latches onto the skin and releases the bacteria in the bloodstream. A tick must be attached for at least 24 hours before the host is at risk.

Pinger said ticks like to attach themselves to parts of the body where they may go unnoticed, including the underarms and back of the neck. Daily head-to-toe tick checks are advised for people living in tick-infested areas or visiting an area known to have ticks, he said.

To pick up a tick, individual must brush up against them because ticks don't fly or hop. To avoid picking up a tick, wear light-colored clothing, including hats, long-sleeved shirts, and long pants tucked into socks. Light-colored clothing makes it easier to see a tick. If necessary, tape clothing together to cut down on the chances that ticks can crawl under clothing, Pinger said.

When a tick is found attached to the skin, use a pair of fine-tipped tweezers to grasp it as close to the skin as possible, and pull gently and steadily to remove it. Do not twist or jerk the tick, he said.