Emergency room visits for tick bites are at a six-year high. Here’s how to prevent tick bites, and what to do if you get bitten.

“The best place for ticks is your armpits and groin because they are warm, moist, and a good source of blood,” says pest control expert Jordan Foster. These spots also have thinner skin and are dark and secluded, prime feeding environments for ticks, agrees dermatologist Purvisha Patel, MD, founder of Visha Skincare.