FILE – This undated photo provided by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows a blacklegged tick, which is also known as a deer tick. Ticks will be more active than usual early in spring 2023, and that means Lyme disease and other tick-borne infections could spread earlier and in greater numbers than in a typical year. Ticks can transmit multiple diseases that sicken humans, and deer ticks, which spread Lyme, are a day-to-day fact of life in the warm months in New England and the Midwest. (CDC via AP, File)

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — After a mild winter in the U.S., scientists are watching to see if there will be an uptick in ticks this year. More ticks this spring could mean a wider spread of Lyme disease and other infections. Deer ticks, which spread Lyme, are a day-to-day fact of life in the warm months in New England and the Midwest. In Connecticut, a state disease expert says they are already seeing more ticks than usual this month. It varies by region, but tick season generally stretches from April to October and Lyme disease cases peak in the summer.