Winter Tick Awareness: Understanding Activity, Identification, and Protection Winter Tick Awareness: Understanding Activity, Identification, and Protection As you return indoors from the winter chill, shaking off snow and warming your cold hands, a crucial step often overlooked is the tick check. Contrary to common belief that ticks retreat for a winter slumber, experts caution that ticks can remain active even in the midst of winter. Here's what you need to know to stay vigilant against tick-borne threats. Do Ticks Come Out in the Winter? Despite the frosty temperatures, ticks defy hibernation. Patrick (PJ) Liesch, an extension entomologist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, emphasizes that ticks remain active in winter. These ectothermic creatures rely on external sources like outdoor temperatures to regulate their body heat. While they are typically dormant, warmer winter spells can trigger tick activity, as evidenced by the Maine Cen...