This would be a TMI (Too Much Information) post until you realize
this is just a very honest and caring PSA (Public Service Announcement).
Get your mind out of the gutter and read on....
I glanced at my back and noticed the teeny, tinniest speck of black, like a new freckle. For whatever reason, I happened to pause and noticed that the new freckle was mobile. I could see no legs but it was definitely moving. Not a freckle!!!
With a scratch of my fingernail the black speck came off and upon closer inspection I realized it was a Deer Tick. Their latin name is Ixodes scapularis and they are also commonly called the Blacklegged Tick.
For scale, I placed it on a paper next to a penny to illustrate how small these blood sucking, disease carrying jerks are. This may sound harsh, but they really are nasty and can make you so sick. Read more about them and tick diseases in this article by the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station HERE
Enjoy the outdoors responsibly and inspect yourself for ticks!
With love,
Julie