PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • September 3, 2025
To remove a tick you should use fine-tipped tweezers, grasp it as close to the skin as possible, then slowly and steadily pull it straight out without twisting or squeezing the body. If you want to send it to the lab for testing — as Mainers have been doing 15-20% more frequently this year than last — put it in a ziplock bag or other sealed container, dead or alive. If you decide not to test it, put it in a sealed container in the trash, burn it or flush it. Do not squish a tick with your fingers because any pathogens it’s carrying could get on your hands and into any cuts or other breaks in the skin. Note that ticks must be attached at least 24 hours to transmit Lyme disease.