(WHDH) — The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention took to social media on Wednesday to warn the public in the most unusual and unappealing way about tick season and the dangers that the tiny arachnids pose.
The CDC shared a photo of a seemingly ordinary poppy seed muffin on Facebook but asked its followers to take a closer look at the delectable breakfast treat.
“Ticks can be as small as a poppy seed. There are 5 ticks in this photo,” the CDC said. “Can you spot them?”
A second magnified photo showed the blood-sucking pests lurking on top of the muffin.
The CDC says it posted the stomach-turning photos in an effort to spread tips on how to guard against ticks this summer.
Many Facebook users were very upset with the tactic.
“Thank you for ruining lemon poppyseed muffins for me forever,” one commenter said. Another person replied, “Really. I’ll never eat poppy seed muffins again.”
Ticks live in grassy, brushy, or wooded areas, or even on animals, according to the CDC. Spending time outside walking your dog, camping, gardening, or hunting could bring you in close contact with ticks.
For tick protection tips, click here.
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