Maine residents are in the midst of this year’s tick season and experts say the tiny menaces could be as close as your front or back yard.

Last week, the Androscoggin Valley Soil and Water Conservation District held a workshop at the Auburn Public Library on a variety of ways to reduce ticks in your yard.

“This is such a hot topic right now for a lot of people these days because of the risks that ticks pose,” said Lily Gallagher, education coordinator and site technician for the district who led the workshop.

The season so far: ‘There are a lot of ticks’

According to Megan Porter, a health educator for the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the state saw a cold winter this year, with frigid temperatures heading into spring. Because of that, Maine didn’t have an early start to its tick season, unlike past years.

Despite that, Porter said the state’s current data suggests it’s shaping up to be a normal tick season.

“There are a lot of ticks, but we’re not seeing outrageous numbers this year,” Porter said. “The numbers we’ve been seeing are tracking right around where we’d expect for this time of year.”

Maine has reported 1,588 cases of tick-borne Lyme disease as of July 7, according to the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Last year, the state recorded a total of 4,257 cases.

What to look for, and look out for: teenage ticks

Porter said that at this stage of the tick season, Mainers can expect to see teenage deer ticks out, which are typically the size of a poppyseed. The adult female deer ticks come out in two waves, the first in the spring and again in fall, typically around October.

Porter also said something the state’s been looking into is the increase of anaplasmosis and babesiosis cases, which are also transmitted by ticks. She said she doesn’t know what is driving the increase, and the state’s public health department continues to look into it.

Mow short, mix in some sun, add a buffer

During the July 7 workshop, Gallagher recommended several practical strategies for reducing ticks in your yard.

Create tick-safe zones: These are open areas that are mowed to 3 inches or less. Remove woodpiles and other features in these areas that could attract or hide ticks.

Let the sun shine in: Trim or remove trees to allow in more sunlight. Ticks don’t like sunny areas, she said. And remove plants, such as honeysuckle that can attract ticks.

Create a buffer: Gallagher said creating a 12-foot buffer that separates your tick-safe zones from potential tick zones adds to your protection. In the buffer, she recommended putting wood chips or rocks, which are not preferred environments for ticks and will deter them from moving to your safe zones.

“By keeping that buffer area, you’re going to prevent the likelihood of ticks jumping on you while you’re in the safer area,” Gallagher said.

Plant smart: Deter tick carriers, attract tick killers

Within the tick-safe zone, Gallagher recommends planting native species that do one of two things: either attract tick predators to the area or discourage carriers of ticks.

She said black-eyed susans, goldenrod and nannyberries are among the native species that attract tick predators, such as birds and owls, that eat ticks and tick-carrying mice.

Meanwhile, native species including witch hazel, elderberries and ferns, will discourage tick-carrying deer because they are not food sources.

More tips, because nothing’s perfect

Gallagher said during the July 7 workshop that while these techniques will help with ticks in your yard, there are no guarantees.

“Ticks and pests are going to be nearby no matter what,” she said. “But these will hopefully reduce the amount of ticks in your backyard so you can enjoy the outdoors.”

In addition to Gallagher’s recommendations, Porter recommends following the Maine CDC tick prevention guidelines, which include wearing EPA-approved repellents, wearing long-sleeved clothing, and doing a really great tick check after being outdoors.

For more tick-proofing landscaping tips, go to the University of Maine’s Cooperative Extension’s resource page at extension.umaine.edu.