I also live in NOVA and can easily spot deers in my backyard

Just want to remind anyone live in the east side of this country.  Due to 2 consective mild winters, ticks population is crazy this year.  There are many different kinds of ticks. The deer ticks are very small like a black sesame seed, but can spread lyme disease on humasn, not on deers. Anyone goes to a field trip like hiking in the woods or through a meadow, please make sure after coming back, comb your hair closely, check your waist or under the arm or behind the knee. If the lyme disease is treated within 24 hours, the recovery is usually not the problem. Afterwards, it would become very challenge to diagnose it. And it could take up to 1 year of treatment with heavy dose of antibiotics.