As fall approaches here in New England we get many inquiries about when ticks will “disappear”? The short answer is never. Depending on where you live and the species of tick you can be bit by a tick year round.
While some ticks may become less active in the colder weather, some are just ramping up. Fall tick season can be just as active as spring and summer. For those in our area, the black-legged tick moves into its adult stage and becomes most active as it looks to feed as we move into fall. October can be a very active month for deer ticks (which is the tick that can infect its human host with Lyme Disease). You can expect to see deer ticks as long as the temperatures stay above freezing and the ground is not frozen.
Fall is an ideal season for ticks given all the leaf litter on the ground. Ticks are not very active hunters, they “quest” by staying on brush reaching out their legs to latch on to a host that may walk by. “Ticks can’t fly or jump, but many tick species wait in a position known as “questing”. While questing, ticks hold onto leaves and grass by their third and fourth pair of legs. They hold the first pair of legs outstretched, waiting to climb on to the host.” (CDC.GOV)
Wrong. A common misconception is that, like mosquitoes, ticks disappear once there is a frost and the temperatures cool. Although this is the case for mosquitoes, deer ticks will generally continue to look for a host if the temps warm back up. A deer tick is just entering the adult stage of its life-cycle and it needs to feed before winter. Even though the first frost may slow them down, when the temps rise back above freezing they come back out hungry and looking to eat.
What can I do to minimize exposure to ticks in fall?