A cold and snowy winter failed to keep ticks from biting plenty of humans in New York and across the Northeast this March, according to emergency departments tracking illnesses caused by the tiny parasites.
Early reports from ERs suggested ticks plagued people and dogs alike who ventured outside amid slowly warming temperatures in March following a frigid winter, which bucked recent trends of record-breaking warm winters that helped trigger early starts to tick season. Taken together, human behavior, the weather and tick population trends determine the level of suffering from tickborne illness, such as Lyme disease.
Weather: Warm temperatures mean ticks are active in upstate NY: What to know
How bad is 2025 tick season so far?
Among the findings of a USA TODAY Network analysis of public health data:
One potential factor fueling ticks’ ability to survive the cold winter included the historically warm winters in New York in recent years, as the warming climate allowed tick populations to thrive, including an explosion in one of their main food sources, deer.
What do ticks look like?
The three most common ticks in New York are the deer (black-legged) tick, the American dog tick and the lone star tick, state health officials said.
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Only deer ticks carry the bacterium that causes Lyme disease. They can also carry the germs that cause babesiosis and human granulocytic anaplasmosis. Young deer ticks, called nymphs, are brown and the size of poppy seeds. Adult female deer ticks are red and black, while males are black. Adult deer ticks are about the size of a sesame seed.
More tips: Bit by a tick? What you should know about tick testing and tick removal
American dog ticks can carry the bacterium that causes Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Dog ticks are reddish-brown and larger than deer ticks. Deer and dog ticks are most active during the spring, early summer and fall.
How to remove a tick
While considering tick-testing, your first priority should be removing the parasite safely. Among the best practices, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: When does tick season start in NY? Did the snowy winter kill them off? What we know
Reporting by David Robinson, New York State Team / Rockland/Westchester Journal News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
