Gloucester Extension Master Gardeners will hold a tick forum in the Chesapeake Lounge at Brent and Becky’s Bulbs, 7900 Daffodil Lane, Gloucester, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, June 11.

Area specialists will be on hand to discuss tick biology, tick-borne diseases and prevention. There will be learning stations covering a variety of topics including: tick identification; Permethrin-treated clothing; ticks in the landscape; ticks and pets; and living with Lyme disease.

According to the CDC, tick-borne diseases occurring frequently in Virginia are Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, babesiosis, Powassan virus disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, ehrlichiosis, and alpha-gal syndrome. Protecting yourself and your family from tick bites is the best defense against these diseases.

If you come across ticks in the next few weeks, place them in a resealable bag with several blades of grass and bring them to the forum for identification, a release from the Gloucester Extension Master Gar...