Regarding Ticks
Northeast Geocaching has an article up on ticks and Lyme disease.
Lyme disease is called the “Great Imitator” because it can mimic many other diseases, which makes diagnosis difficult. A rash can appear several days after infection, or not at all. It can last a few hours or up to several weeks. The rash can be very small or very large (up to twelve inches across). A “bullseye” rash is the hallmark of LD. It is a round ring with central clearing. Unfortunately, this is not the only rash associated with Lyme.
If you’re out of doors a lot in New England, read the whole thing.