If you live near wooded areas or spend time in fields and nature, you’re probably all too familiar with one of the tiniest yet most troublesome pests around: ticks.

These small arachnids may seem harmless at first glance — after all, no one’s ever bled out from a tick bite — but don’t be fooled. Ticks are far more than a minor annoyance. They’re capable of transmitting a host of serious illnesses to both humans and animals, and their bite can leave behind much more than just an itchy bump.

Among the most well-known diseases carried by ticks are Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and babesiosis. While these names might sound distant or unlikely, the consequences of contracting one of them are

very real. Fatigue, joint pain, fever, and neurological symptoms are just a few of the potentially long-lasting effects if these illnesses go undiagnosed and untreated. Read more below