GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- Right on cue, insects are back outside and swarming West Michigan. Some of those bugs are harmful, but most are just pesky.
"The harmful ones are certainly ticks and mosquitoes," said Professor James Dunn, an entomology specialist at Grand Valley State University.
Ticks are a big threat, for a few reasons. The first being that about a third of ticks carry Lyme disease. Another reason is the high concentration of ticks along the West Michigan shoreline.
"From Traverse City down past St. Joseph, we have the highest population of black-legged ticks," added Professor Dunn.
The best ways to avoid tick bites include walking along paths and avoiding contact with long grasses. Wear long-sleeve clothing and check over your self immediately after possible exposure.
Ticks may be hard to spot this time of year, because the larvae are in the nymphal stage, meaning they are about the size of a sesame seed. Removal of ticks immediately is vital - you have some time before Lyme disease could set in, but not much.
"They have to be on you for about 24 to 48 hours before they infect you with the disease," said Dunn.
Another pesky insect with a potentially harmful impact is the mosquito.
"Mosquitoes can transmit diseases too, unfortunately," said Dunn. "One of them is West Nile virus. West Nile virus is rare in West Michigan, but the two hot places in Michigan are Kent County and Wayne County."
Mosquitoes live near open water sources. Some do well in small amounts of water, such as bird baths and small pools.
The best way to avoid mosquito bites is the usual protection: cover up, and use an insecticide.
An insect more irksome than unsafe are bees.
"If you like to eat tomatoes, if you like to eat apples, like to eat peaches, you've got to love your bees," said Professor Dunn.
Bees only sting when threatened.
"If a bee is buzzing around you, just relax. It'll go away," added Dunn.
All insects, no matter how irritating, are important for our local ecosystem.
"If we were to get rid of these bugs, we'd be in big trouble, so embrace the bugs. Be glad they're there," said Dunn.
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Laura Hartman is a meteorologist at WZZM 13. You can contact her by email at lhartman@wzzm13.com, or follow her on Facebook or Twitter.