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 Center for Disease control and Prevention's record 2,706 cases of Lyme disease by December 7, 2023.

Experts attribute this surge to rising winter temperatures, indicating a 3.3-degree increase in average winter temperatures in the United States since 1970, as reported by Climate Central.

Which Ticks Spread Lyme Disease?

With around 850 tick species worldwide, the United States hosts 90 of them. When it comes to Lyme disease, the black-legged tick, found in the Eastern and Western U.S., is the primary carrier of the Lyme disease germ.

What to Do If a Tick Bites You

Immediate tick checks after outdoor exposure, even in winter, are crucial. Use forceps or tweezers for a slow and steady tick removal, minimizing trauma to avoid the release of fluids carrying pathogens. Identifying the tick's species and taking pictures are essential steps. Various stages of a tick's life cycle and attachment duration impact disease transmission risk, making careful observation vital.

Free Tick IDing

For those unsure of a tick's species, programs like TickEncounter from the University of Rhode Island offer free tick identification, risk assessments, and guidance within 24 hours based on submitted photos.

Watch for Symptoms

Monitoring for signs and symptoms of tick-borne illnesses is crucial, as they may appear weeks or months after a bite. Symptoms such as rashes, fever, muscle and joint aches, and headaches should be addressed promptly. Seek emergency care for severe symptoms like weakness, paralysis, confusion, and a stiff neck.

How to Protect Yourself Against Ticks Year-Round

Maine’s CDC recommends the following precautions:

• Know tick habitats and take precautions in tick-prone areas.
• Wear light-colored, protective clothing, tucking shirts into pants and pants into socks.
• Use EPA-approved repellents like DEET and picaridin.
• Perform daily tick checks on yourself, family members, and pets.
• Remove and dry clothing promptly upon entering the house.

Customize precautions based on tick stages and seasons, such as tucking in shirts during adult-stage tick prevalence or tucking pants into socks during nymphal stage prevalence.

Conclusion

Warmer winter weather challenges the assumption that ticks are less of a concern. Make tick checks a routine part of coming indoors during winter, and if bitten, identify the tick's species before discarding it. Stay informed, stay vigilant, and safeguard your well-being against the persistent threat of ticks.