If you live near wooded areas or spend time in fields and nature, you’re probably all too familiar with one of the tiniest yet most troublesome pests around: ticks.

These small arachnids may seem harmless at first glance — after all, no one’s ever bled out from a tick bite — but don’t be fooled. Ticks are far more than a minor annoyance. They’re capable of transmitting a host of serious illnesses to both humans and animals, and their bite can leave behind much more than just an itchy bump.

Among the most well-known diseases carried by ticks are Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and babesiosis. While these names might sound distant or unlikely, the consequences of contracting one of them are very real. Fatigue, joint pain, fever, and neurological symptoms are just a few of the potentially long-lasting effects if these illnesses go undiagnosed and untreated.

Let’s say you discover a tick on your skin. Your first instinct might be to yank it off with your fingers. Don’t. That’s actually one of the worst things you can do. Pinching a tick between your fingers can cause it to regurgitate harmful bacteria into your bloodstream, increasing the risk of disease transmission. It may also result in the tick’s body tearing, leaving the head embedded in your skin.

Instead, reach for a pair of fine-tipped tweezers. Gently grasp the tick as close to the surface of your skin as possible, and pull upward in a smooth, steady motion. Avoid twisting or jerking — you don’t want any part of it left behind.