Do we really need to worry about ticks in the UK? And should we be avoiding rolling around in long grass à la Charli xcx in her latest video? These questions buzzed around social media this week after the pop star’s Essex-filmed video for ‘Wink Wink’ and sightings of celebrity couples Zoë Kravitz and Harry Styles, plus Sarah Pidgeon and Joe Alwyn, lounging on Hampstead Heath.

Charli xcx addressed fan concerns on her Instagram stories: “i won’t lie i was really stressed about this.” And while some social media users brushed off the worries, Julia Knight of Lyme Disease UK warns that Lyme disease is the most common tick-borne illness and “we’re at the peak of tick season at the moment.” Ticks aren’t just in heathland and forests - they’ve also been found in urban parks and gardens.

Ticks are arachnids (like spiders and scorpions) that feed on blood. They cut into the skin, insert a feeding tube, and may secrete a cement-like substance to stay put. The bite is minor, but the real danger is Lyme disease, which can cause heart problems, joint pain, and nerve pain if untreated. Tick numbers in England and the rest of the UK have risen, and Lyme disease rates have climbed steadily since the first UK case in 1985.

Infected ticks are in every UK county, with higher risk in the Scottish Highlands, south and south-west England, and parts of East Anglia. But we don’t see as many Lyme cases as in France or Germany because official figures only count lab-confirmed cases - many are diagnosed without a blood test when the classic bull’s eye rash appears. Knight attributes the “uptick” (she groaned at her own pun) to a heating climate: warmer winters let ticks stay active year-round.

For now, precautions are key: cover skin, stick to paths, use repellent, and check for ticks after being in grassy or wooded areas. Ticks at the nymph stage can be smaller than poppy seeds, and even fully fed they’re no bigger than a baked bean. Check warm spots: between toes, behind knees, under armpits, between legs, and - if you’ve been lying in grass or are a child - hairlines and behind ears.

If you find a tick, remove it quickly with fine-tipped tweezers or a tick-removal tool, pulling slowly upward without squeezing. Seek medical attention only if a rash or flu-like symptoms develop. Ecologist Dr Bethan Purse reassures that anyone who wants to canoodle on Hampstead Heath “definitely can still go and do that. They just need to have an eye on it.” So go ahead, touch grass - just maybe not with your whole body.