It's the Brian Lairn Show on WNYC. I'm Bridget Bergen, filling in for Brian today.

Ahead of the July 4th weekend, we'll end the show today with a closer look at maybe one of summer's least

favorite features, ticks. Researchers at Fordham University released their tri-state tick

risk index, and this year the risk of being bitten by a tick in the New York City area is

extremely high. Joining us now to talk about what led to the population surge in best practices to avoid picking up ticks outdoors and the diseases they carry is Thomas Daniels,

research scientist in vector ecology, Director of the Lewis Calder Center in Armunk, the Biological Field Station of Fordham University.

Thomas, welcome to WNYC.

Good morning.

And listeners, we're going to open the phones to you right away.

Anything you've ever wanted to ask, a tick expert, but never had one over for dinner to ask?

Give us a call now at 212-433 W-W-YC. That's 212-433-9-6-9-2. You can also text that number,

or any of you out there notice the uptick, pardon me, in ticks this summer in particular. Maybe you've been bit, maybe you're a doctor or nurse treating an increase in tick-borne

diseases. Help us report the story. What do you think people should know? Call or text us at 212-433

W-NYC. That's 212-433-9692. Thomas, the Fordham Tri-State tick risk is a 10 out of 10 this summer, according to the website.

Wow, the risk is so high that people, it suggests, should consider going to the movies instead of a hike.

Walk us through what this 10 out of 10 risk assessment means, practically.

What it practically means is that there are more ticks out there, more potentially infected

ticks at this time of year than there are, let's say, early in the spring, and then that

there will be later in the summer and the fall. And so it's a relative risk. You know, we've

been doing the tick index since 2008.

And it actually was started by my colleague, Dr. Rich Falco, who works with me on this.

He's actually representative of New York State Health Department.

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