Tick season in the United States is getting worse, and experts say climate change is a major reason why. Warmer temperatures and milder winters are creating ideal conditions for ticks to thrive in more places for longer periods of time—leading to a surge in tick bites and tick-borne diseases.
Tick Bites Are Increasing Nationwide
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), tick bite rates have reached their highest levels in over five years. In July alone, there were 74 tick bites per 100,000 emergency room visits—up significantly from previous years. In some regions, such as the Northeast, rates soared to 283 bites per 100,000 visits in May.
These trends are part of a broader expansion of tick habitats across the U.S., with bites becoming increasingly common not just in forests and hiking trails, but even in suburban backyards.
Why Ticks Are Spreading
Experts point to several key factors behind the surge in tick populations:
- Climate Change: Warmer, shorter winters allow ticks to survive longer and become active earlier in the season.
- Suburban Expansion: As more people move into forested suburban areas, human-tick interactions increase.
- Deer Populations: The reintroduction and growth of deer populations, especially in forested regions, fuels the spread of deer ticks, which rely on white-tailed deer for reproduction.
- Changes in Land Use: Restricted hunting in suburban areas and increased vegetation have created ideal tick habitats closer to human populations.
Diseases Transmitted by Ticks
Ticks carry a variety of bacteria, viruses, and parasites that can infect humans. Some of the most common tick-borne illnesses include:
- Lyme disease: The most well-known tick-borne illness, often marked by a bull’s-eye rash, joint pain, fatigue, and in severe cases, neurological or cardiac issues.
- Rocky Mountain spotted fever: A potentially serious illness characterized by high fever and rash.
- Ehrlichiosis, babesiosis, anaplasmosis, and Powassan virus, among others, are also spread by different tick species.
Prompt diagnosis and treatment with antibiotics can usually resolve these infections, but prevention remains the best defense.
Lyme Disease Fast Facts
- Caused by Borrelia bacteria transmitted by black-legged (deer) ticks.
- Symptoms can appear from 1 day to several years after infection.
- Early signs include a bull’s-eye rash, fever, chills, swollen lymph nodes, sore throat, and fatigue.
- Late-stage Lyme can cause neurological issues, arthritis, and heart problems.
- Treated with antibiotics like doxycycline, amoxicillin, or cefuroxime, depending on the stage.
How to Protect Yourself from Tick Bites
Here are science-backed strategies to reduce your risk:
- Cover up: Wear long sleeves and pants when walking in grassy or wooded areas.
- Stick to trails: Avoid brushing against tall grass and undergrowth; stay in the center of paths.
- Check yourself and your pets: After being outdoors, inspect your body, clothing, and pets thoroughly.
- Use repellents: Apply DEET or permethrin to clothing. Light-colored clothing also makes it easier to spot ticks.
- Dry your clothes: Ticks can survive washing machines, but not a cycle in the dryer.
- Lint roll trick: Use a sticky lint roller on clothes and pets after spending time outdoors.
- Watch your backyard: Ticks can live in residential areas, especially in brush or tall grass.
What to Do If You Find a Tick
If you discover a tick attached to your skin:
- Use a tissue or tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible.
- Pull it out slowly and steadily without twisting.
- Clean the area with soap and water.
- Monitor for symptoms like rash or fever, and contact a healthcare provider if needed.
Even simple yard work or playing outside can put you at risk, so it’s important to stay cautious—even close to home.
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