A few weeks ago, I was mowing the lawn with my old, barely-working mower. My golden retriever, Mochi, lounged under the oak tree without a care in the world. That’s when I felt an odd tickle on my ankle.

At first, I assumed it was a mosquito. But when I looked down, I saw something far worse—a tiny black dot clinging to my skin. It wasn’t moving, and it definitely wasn’t flying away. I carefully removed it. There it was: a lone star tick, unmistakable with its white spot.