It’s tick season in southern Alberta and unfortunately, 2020 has brought with it the perfect weather for the bloodsuckers to thrive in.

So far this year, about 500 ticks have been sent to the province for evaluation. That number is down by about 100 compared to the same time in previous years.

Albertans who find a tick on themselves or their pets this summer might be tempted to throw it away, but the Alberta government is instead asking people to hold on to the bugs and submit them for testing for Lyme disease.