Tick Season in New York: Dates, Diseases, and How to Protect Your Family

New York is one of the most tick-active states in the country, and the season lasts far longer than most people expect. Over the last three years, the state has averaged more than 17,500 new cases of Lyme disease each year, with more than 19,000 cases reported in 2023 alone. That number is not a fluke — it reflects a landscape where ticks thrive from late winter through late fall, across forests, parks, backyards, and even urban green spaces.

Whether you live upstate, on Long Island, or in one of the five boroughs, understanding tick season in New York gives you a real advantage. This guide walks you through when ticks are most active, which species you are likely to encounter, what diseases they carry, and exactly how to protect yourself, your children, and your pets every time you step outside.

Key Insight: Ticks do not follow a neat calendar. Ticks can be active any time the temperature is above freezing. Staying aware year-round — not just in summer — is your best defense.

When Is Tick Season in New York

Tick season in New York includes the warmer months, from April to September. However, the full picture is more nuanced. Ticks can be active any time of the year when temperatures are above freezing, but they are most active above 45°F, so New York’s tick season coincides closely with mosquito season.

The season actually unfolds in three distinct phases tied to the tick life cycle. In the early spring, from March to late April, adult ticks are the most prevalent and active — they emerge from dormancy and start feeding as soon as temperatures rise. The summer, especially around June and July, is primarily the active season for nymphs — immature ticks that have not yet developed into adults. This is when you should be on the highest alert, since most humans infected by Lyme disease got it after being bitten by nymphal ticks, according to the CDC.

Adult tick activity peaks for a second time in the fall, from mid-August to November, when the newly-fed nymphs develop into adults. Continue being wary of ticks during this time, as adult ticks are also capable of transmitting diseases.

Climate change is leading to warmer average temperatures resulting in longer warm seasons. Earlier springs, hotter summers, and shorter, milder winters provide conditions that influence the number of ticks and where they are found — meaning more ticks in more areas, which may lead to more people and animals being bitten and infected with a tick-borne disease.

Phase	Months	Most Active Stage	Risk Level
Early Spring	March – April	Adult ticks	Moderate
Late Spring / Summer	May – August	Nymphs	High (peak)
Fall	August – November	Adult ticks (second wave)	Moderate–High
Winter	December – February	Minimal activity	Low (not zero)

Types of Ticks Found in New York

The most commonly encountered ticks in New York State are the deer tick, American dog tick, and lone star tick. Each species has a distinct appearance, range, and set of health risks you should know about.

Blacklegged Tick (Deer Tick) — Ixodes scapularis

The blacklegged tick is the most common tick in New York State and the species that carries the microbe that causes Lyme disease. Young deer ticks, called nymphs, are active from mid-May to mid-August and are about the size of poppy seeds. Adult ticks, which are approximately the size of sesame seeds, are most active from March to mid-May and from mid-August to November. Blacklegged ticks can be found in parks on Staten Island, the Bronx, and eastern Queens.

Understanding how ticks reproduce can help you understand why populations build so quickly each season and why early prevention matters.

Lone Star Tick — Amblyomma americanum

The lone star tick is an aggressive hunter, moving about three times faster than the blacklegged tick, which may also explain why it has been so successful at adapting to new environments. Lone star ticks can spread ehrlichiosis and have also been associated with the emergence of a food allergy to red meat known as alpha-gal syndrome. The Asian longhorned and lone star ticks are well established in Staten Island and parts of the Bronx.

American Dog Tick — Dermacentor variabilis

The American dog tick is larger and easier to spot than the deer tick. Tick surveillance by the Health Department continues to find the American dog tick in all five boroughs. It is the primary carrier of Rocky Mountain spotted fever in New York.

Asian Longhorned Tick — Haemaphysalis longicornis

In 2018, the Asian longhorned tick was identified in New York State for the first time and has now been found in several locations in New York City, Long Island, and the Lower Hudson Valley. While this tick has transmitted disease to humans in other parts of the world, more research is needed to determine whether this can occur in the United States. To date, the Department has tested more than 2,000 of these ticks and has not found disease-causing agents.

Pro Tip: Distinguishing between each tick species with the naked eye is challenging, but knowing which ones are predominant in your area is helpful if you have been bitten. Save the tick in a sealed bag if you can — it may help your doctor identify the right tests.

Tick-Borne Diseases in New York

While ticks carry multiple diseases, three pose the greatest threat to New Yorkers. Understanding their symptoms and progression can mean the difference between quick recovery and long-term health complications.

Lyme Disease

Lyme disease is the most common tick-borne illness in New York. It is caused by bacteria and spreads through the bite of an infected blacklegged tick. According to the New York State Department of Health, the bull’s-eye rash appears in 60–80% of cases, though only about 20% show the classic target pattern. This rash, known medically as erythema migrans, typically develops 7–14 days after a bite. Early Lyme symptoms mimic the flu: fever, chills, headache, fatigue, and muscle aches. What distinguishes Lyme from actual flu is the absence of respiratory symptoms like a runny nose or prominent cough.

You can learn more about tick-borne encephalitis and other serious neurological complications that can arise when tick-borne infections go untreated.

Babesiosis

Babesiosis is a serious illness caused by tiny parasites spread by infected ticks. Since 2015, the Department has reported an average of 600 babesiosis infections each year in New York State. It can be especially dangerous for older adults, people without a spleen, and those with weakened immune systems.

Anaplasmosis

Anaplasmosis is a bacterial infection spread by tick bites. Anaplasmosis has been found in an increasing number of New Yorkers over a larger geographic area over the past several years, with infections now occurring north and west of the Capital Region. The state has reported an average of 1,300 anaplasmosis infections each year since 2015.

Other Tick-Borne Diseases

• Ehrlichiosis: Ehrlichiosis is transmitted by the Lone Star tick and is a less-common but serious tick-borne disease in New York State.
• Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever: Transmitted by the American dog tick; averaging around 30 cases annually in New York.
• Powassan Virus Disease: Powassan encephalitis is a tick-borne viral illness that can cause encephalitis or meningitis; it is reported each year in New York State, although case numbers are very low, generally 1–5 cases per year. Critically, Powassan virus is able to be transmitted within 15 minutes of a tick bite — far faster than Lyme disease.

Important Note: One-third of the ticks in New York carry at least one disease-causing agent, and a single tick bite can transmit multiple disease-causing agents simultaneously. Early medical attention after a bite is always the safest course of action.

High-Risk Areas and Habitats in New York

Ticks are not confined to deep wilderness. Ticks can live in any grassy, bushy, or wooded area — not just in the woods. They also live alongside nature trails and in backyards, parks, and playgrounds. Knowing where concentrations are highest helps you stay alert in the right places.

Statewide High-Risk Regions

In New York, Columbia County and Greene County averaged the highest Lyme disease case rates from 2012 to 2023, with more than 250 cases per 100,000 people. Other counties had lower rates, but relative to the rest of the country, Lyme disease risk is high across the entire state. Ticks carrying pathogens that cause tick-borne diseases are common in many wooded areas outside of New York City, including Long Island, upstate New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut.

New York City and Urban Areas

Even if you live in the city, you are not immune. Most NYC residents diagnosed with a tick-borne disease are infected when visiting grassy, wooded areas in upstate New York, Long Island, and surrounding states. However, Central Park’s wooded areas, Prospect Park’s natural zones, Staten Island Greenbelt, and Bronx parks like Pelham Bay Park all harbor established tick populations.

Know where ticks live — often in shady, moist areas at ground level, especially in or at the edges of woods and around old stone walls. Deer movement into suburban and urban areas has expanded tick range considerably. Increases in deer and tick populations in the regions around New York or any other city can lead to an increased number of ticks in the city. These days, deer are being pushed into the city as deer populations grow and as human populations expand into areas that were previously forested or uninhabited.

Interestingly, animals that eat ticks — such as opossums, guinea fowl, and certain birds — can play a natural role in keeping tick populations lower in some areas.

Key Insight: The New York State Department of Health publishes a Tick Risk Score by Region map that shows your risk of encountering an infected blacklegged tick by geographic area. Check it before planning outdoor trips in New York.

How to Protect Yourself, Children and Pets During Tick Season in New York

Prevention is the single most effective tool you have against tick-borne illness. There are no vaccines against tick-borne diseases, and the most effective way to prevent them is to minimize exposure to ticks. The good news is that the steps you can take are practical, affordable, and highly effective when applied consistently.

Clothing and Physical Barriers

• Wear light-colored clothing to see ticks more easily. Tuck pants into socks and shirts into pants to prevent ticks from attaching to your skin.
• Wear closed-toe shoes and long sleeves whenever you are in grassy or wooded areas.
• Walk in the middle of trails and on cleared paths to avoid brushing against vegetation where ticks wait to latch on.

Repellents

• Use insect repellent registered by the Environmental Protection Agency, containing ingredients such as DEET, picaridin, IR3535, or oil of lemon eucalyptus.
• Permethrin-treated clothing provides near-perfect protection, killing ticks within 30 seconds of contact. This treatment lasts through dozens of washes and creates an invisible barrier. For exposed skin, DEET (25–30% concentration) offers 8 hours of reliable protection, while picaridin (20%) can last up to 14 hours.
• Note that permethrin products can be used on clothing or shoes but not on skin to kill ticks.

After You Come Indoors

1. Shower within two hours of coming inside — to help wash off ticks and to check for any that might be on you.
2. Perform a full body check multiple times during the day, as well as at the end of the day, to ensure that no ticks are attached.
3. Focus your tick check on your thighs, groin area, and the back of your head. Then shower. Also, put the clothing you wore outside in the dryer at high heat for 10 minutes to kill any ticks that may be hiding.

Protecting Children

Children aged 5–14 show the highest case rates, likely due to increased outdoor activities, exposed skin, and decreased awareness of tick bite prevention. Perform thorough daily tick checks focusing on high-risk areas: scalp, behind ears, underarms, groin, behind knees, and between toes. Use mirrors or ask family members to check hard-to-see areas. Check children often, including their entire bodies.

Protecting Pets

Ask your veterinarian which flea and tick repellents are best to use on your pet. Repellents help protect your pets from tick-borne diseases and also protect pet owners, since ticks can travel into the home on dogs, cats, and other pets. Dogs, and less often cats, can also get sick from ticks. For more detailed guidance, see these tips for preventing tick-borne diseases in your dog.

Yard Management

• Keep grass short and do not let piles of brush or leaves build up. Trim shrubs and tree branches around your yard to let in more sunlight. Keep playground equipment and outdoor furniture in a sunny location, away from yard edges and trees.
• Do not leave out food that attracts deer and other wildlife.

Common Mistake: Many people only check for ticks after a hike or camping trip. But ticks are found not only in the wilderness but can also be present in suburban areas and backyards. A tick check after any outdoor time — including gardening — is a smart habit.

What to Do If You Find a Tick in New York

Finding a tick on your body is unsettling, but staying calm and acting quickly is the most important thing you can do. Not all ticks are infected, and your risk of acquiring Lyme disease is greatly reduced if the tick is removed within the first 36 hours after attachment.

Step-by-Step Tick Removal

1. Use clean, fine-tipped tweezers to grab the tick as close to your skin as possible.
2. Pull straight up with steady pressure — do not twist or jerk the tick, as this can leave parts stuck in your skin.
3. Clean the bite area and your hands with rubbing alcohol or soap and water.
4. Safely dispose of the tick by putting it in alcohol, sealing it in a bag or tape, or flushing it down the toilet.
5. Save the tick in a sealed bag, including the date and location, for potential testing if symptoms develop.

What NOT to Do

• Do not squeeze the body of the tick, as this may increase your risk of infection.
• Do not put alcohol, nail polish remover, or Vaseline on the tick. Do not put a hot match or cigarette on the tick in an effort to make it “back out.”
• Applying alcohol, nail polish remover, or a hot match can irritate a tick and cause it to regurgitate its gut contents into your skin.

When to See a Doctor

An expanding rash, especially one exceeding 2 inches in diameter, signals possible Lyme disease transmission. Fever developing within three weeks of outdoor exposure, flu-like symptoms during tick season, or neurological symptoms like facial drooping or severe headaches all warrant prompt evaluation.

In most cases, the tick must be attached for 36 to 48 hours or more before the Lyme disease bacterium can be transmitted. If the tick was on longer than 36 hours, or if you feel sick after a tick bite of a shorter duration, it is a good idea to see a doctor.

If you are spending time outdoors in New York during hunting season — such as dove hunting season — tick exposure risk is elevated due to extended time in wooded and grassy habitats. Take extra precautions.

Pro Tip: You can report your tick experience to resources like The Tick App or the University of Rhode Island’s TickSpotter to identify the tick species and learn more about tick safety. Some labs in New York also offer tick testing for as little as $10.

Reporting Tick Bites and Tick-Borne Illness in New York

Reporting a tick bite or a suspected tick-borne illness is an important step — not just for your own health, but for the broader public health picture in New York State. Surveillance data helps health officials track where ticks are spreading and which diseases are emerging.

Who Monitors Ticks in New York?

The NYC Health Department has surveillance systems to monitor ticks and tick-borne diseases. Epidemiologists monitor tick-borne disease trends and investigate cases to learn more about risk factors. In addition to human disease surveillance, the Health Department monitors and tests tick populations in several locations across the five boroughs, using a “drag” or cloth to collect ticks and test them for several pathogens at the NYC Health Department’s Public Health Laboratory.

The Department and its partners routinely collect and analyze tens of thousands of ticks from across the state each year to better understand tick population, tick behavior, and regional trends in diseases carried by ticks. Current and retrospective tick collection and testing results are publicly available on the Department’s Health Data NY website.

How to Report a Tick Bite or Illness

• If you develop symptoms after a tick bite, contact your healthcare provider immediately. Tick-borne diseases are reportable conditions in New York, meaning your doctor is required to notify the health department when a diagnosis is confirmed.
• Visit the New York State Department of Health Lyme Disease page for up-to-date resources, tick testing information, and regional risk maps.
• NYC residents can also call 311 to request printed tick safety materials in multiple languages, including Spanish, Chinese, Russian, and more.
• Report your tick encounter to The Tick App or the University of Rhode Island’s TickSpotter to contribute to citizen science efforts and receive species identification help.

Tick Testing in New York

If you find a tick and want it tested, SUNY Upstate Medical University runs a tick testing laboratory. Saravanan Thangamani, PhD, runs the Upstate Tick Testing Laboratory, a citizen science program that tests ticks sent in by area residents. Of ticks submitted to the lab, 34.8% of deer ticks carried Borrelia burgdorferi (Lyme disease); 11% carried Babesia microti (babesiosis); and 18% carried Anaplasma phagocytophilum (anaplasmosis).

The NYC Health Department also has a variety of programs to educate New Yorkers on ways to reduce their risk of tick-borne diseases. Health educators work with summer camps, libraries, NYC Parks, and community organizations to teach children and adults about tick safety. The Health Department has also created a Tick Toolkit for Educators.

Important Note: If an expanding rash with a diameter of more than two inches appears, or flu-like symptoms occur over a 30-day period following a tick bite, contact your healthcare provider immediately. Early treatment with antibiotics is highly effective and can prevent more serious complications.

Tick awareness does not stop at state lines. If you travel for outdoor recreation — whether for goose hunting in Maryland, pheasant hunting in Wisconsin, or any other outdoor pursuit — be sure to apply the same tick prevention practices you use at home in New York. Tick-borne diseases are a regional concern across the Northeast and Midwest, and consistent habits protect you wherever you go.