The Week In ScienceBlogs: Sign up for our newsletter. Profile PalMD is a practicing internist in the Great Lakes region of the U.S.. Aside from the great joy he finds in his family and his work, he likes communicating some of that joy to others.

Whereas the deer tick is content to wait for contact by a passing human or animal, the lone star tick can sense the presence of a human in the area, and will seek out the intended victim of its bloodletting activities.

A mosquito bites a victim. Jo Daviess County officials report two confirmed cases of Lyme disease, and Wisconsin recently reactivated its toll-free Dead Bird Reporting hot line — signs tick and mosquito season are upon us.

Knowing your enemy is important in identifying possible illnesses if you have been bitten by a tick.