Tick Detection

Ticks Don’t Take Vacations…

As long as temperatures are above freezing, ticks here in the northeastern U.S. can be active, looking for a mammal to bite—a behavior known as “questing.” With warming winter temperatures, tick bite prevention and regular tick checks should be a year-round consideration, whether you live here full time, are a seasonal resident, or are visiting the area.

Making tick prevention a habit is one of the best ways to reduce your risk. The more consistently you use multiple prevention strategies, the better your chances of avoiding a bite or finding a tick before it has had a chance to transmit disease.

Know Your Risk

In the Northeast, three species are of particular concern: the black-legged tick, lone star tick, and American dog tick. Their active periods often overlap and can extend from early spring into late fall.

Ticks can be difficult to detect. Nymphal black-legged ticks are about the size of a poppy seed, and their bites often go unnoticed. Lone star tick larvae can occur in large groups and may cause dozens of bites at once.

Black-Legged Tick

Ixodes scapularis

Black-legged ticks are commonly found in humid, wooded areas, forest edges, and adjacent grasslands. Nymphs are extremely small and can transmit Lyme disease, Babesiosis, Anaplasmosis, and Powassan virus.

Lone Star Tick

Amblyomma americanum

Lone star ticks are aggressive and move quickly. They are found in wooded areas, along trails, and in adjacent grasslands. Nymphs and adult females can transmit Ehrlichiosis, STARI, Tularemia, and Alpha-Gal syndrome. Their larvae can gather in large groups and swarm when disturbed.

American Dog Tick

Dermacentor variabilis

American dog ticks are the largest of the three species and are commonly found along roadsides, shrubs, and grassy fields. Adult females can transmit Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and Tularemia.

What to Do If You Find a Tick

If you find an attached tick, remove it promptly. TickEncounter, affiliated with the University of Rhode Island, provides instructions for identifying and removing ticks.

If you do not know how long the tick was attached, consider having it identified and tested. TickReport is a reliable resource for tick testing.

Protecting Yourself and Your Family

The best protection comes from combining several strategies:

• Create a tick kit with tweezers, repellents, alcohol swabs, packing tape, and a flea comb if you have pets. Keep it somewhere convenient near your main entrance.
• Treat clothing with permethrin according to the manufacturer’s directions. Never spray clothing while wearing it, and keep permethrin away from cats and bodies of water.
• Use skin-safe insect repellent on exposed skin and reapply according to the product instructions. Avoid combination sunscreen/insect-repellent products.
• Wear protective clothing. Long pants tucked into socks and shirts tucked into pants create an effective physical barrier.
• Perform frequent tick checks when hiking, gardening, or spending extended time outdoors.
• Check everyone—and your pets—before entering your home. A flea comb can help find ticks on pets, even when they are using oral preventatives.
• Shower as soon as possible after coming indoors and check your skin carefully.
• Wash or dry clothing on high heat. If clothing isn’t heavily soiled, you can put it directly in the dryer on high heat for at least 60 minutes.
• Check outdoor gear before bringing it fully back into your home.

Over time, these steps can become as routine as other personal hygiene habits, helping you enjoy the outdoors while reducing your risk of tick bites and tick-borne illnesses.

Helpful Resources

Tick identification and removal:
TickEncounter – University of Rhode Island

Tick testing:
TickReport

Skin-safe repellent:
Mimikai — use code Nardone20 for a discount.

Permethrin clothing treatment:
Insect Shield
Sawyer Permethrin Fabric Treatment

Pet tick prevention:
Simparica Trio
Credelio Cat

Always check with your veterinarian before using medications on your pets.

For questions about tick-borne disease prevention, suggested products, or educational Zoom presentations for businesses, neighborhoods, and family groups, contact Melani Nardone at melani@flying-0.com.