Tick Season in North Carolina: What to Know and How to Stay Safe

North Carolina consistently ranks among the top states in the country for tick-borne illness — and if you spend any time outdoors here, that statistic matters to you personally. North Carolina often reports the highest number of people with Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever in the United States. That’s a sobering fact, especially when you consider how easy it is to pick up a tick on a hiking trail, in your backyard, or during a hunting trip.

The good news is that awareness and simple habits go a long way toward keeping you, your family, and your pets safe. This guide walks you through everything you need to know about tick season in North Carolina — from when ticks are most active and which species to watch for, to how to remove a tick properly and where to report a bite.

When Is Tick Season in North Carolina

Ticks can be found in North Carolina year-round, but they are most prevalent from late spring to early fall. NC tick season typically ends in September, though ticks can still be found in late fall. Because of the state’s climate, ticks can be active even outside the main seasons.

While taking preventive measures against ticks year-round is a good idea, be extra cautious in warmer months (April–September) when ticks are most active. That said, different species follow different schedules, which is why you can’t fully let your guard down even in cooler months.

Tick season in North Carolina typically starts in early spring, around late March, and lasts through the summer months until October. Ticks are most active in early April and midsummer, as this is when the different developmental stages of the tick come out for their blood meal and to breed.

Understanding the tick life cycle helps explain this pattern. Larvae emerge and seek their first blood meal, typically from small animals. Nymphs are the size of a poppy seed and are most active from May through July — the period when most human tick bites occur. Full-grown adults seek larger hosts and are most active in fall and early spring.

Key Insight: Nymphal ticks are the most dangerous stage for humans — they’re tiny enough to go unnoticed but fully capable of transmitting disease. Peak nymph activity runs May through July in North Carolina.

Ticks are most active in the spring, summer, and fall. Some species are even active in the winter. This makes North Carolina one of the more challenging states for year-round tick vigilance, particularly given its humid climate and abundant forested areas.

Types of Ticks Found in North Carolina

There are four ticks that are found in North Carolina: the American dog tick, the brown dog tick, the lone star tick, and the black-legged tick (formally known as the deer tick). Each species has its own seasonal activity window, preferred habitat, and disease risk profile. Knowing which tick you’re dealing with can help you understand what to watch for after a bite.

American Dog Tick (Dermacentor variabilis)

The adult American dog tick is active in the spring, summer, and fall. It lives along woodland paths, in recreational parks, farm pastures, wastelands, and other shrubby habitats in rural and suburban areas of North Carolina.

The American dog tick is found throughout North Carolina and is especially prevalent in Wake County and surrounding areas. It has a brownish-red, wide oval-shaped body and is active from spring through the fall where it lives in nearly all habitats where there’s tall grass, wooded areas, and even shrubs and bushes. While this species does not carry Lyme disease, it is a carrier for Rocky Mountain spotted fever and is prone to biting both humans and dogs.

Brown Dog Tick (Rhipicephalus sanguineus)

The brown dog tick can be active all year because it lays eggs in cracks and gaps in kennels and homes. It looks very similar to the American dog tick, and while they rarely attach to humans, they feed on dogs and breed quickly, meaning they can quickly infest a kennel or place where multiple dogs live.

If you have dogs that spend time outdoors, the brown dog tick is a particular concern. Its ability to complete its entire life cycle indoors makes it one of the few tick species that can establish a year-round infestation inside your home or kennel. You can learn more about how ticks reproduce to better understand why infestations can escalate so quickly.

Lone Star Tick (Amblyomma americanum)

All stages of the lone star tick readily feed on people and large wild or domestic animals such as deer and dogs. Adults and nymphs are abundant in the spring and summer months. The mite-like larvae, commonly called seed ticks, are abundant in the fall. In this stage, the lone star tick readily attacks humans.

Bites from the lone star tick can result in an illness called STARI, which exhibits a rash similar in appearance to that seen with Lyme disease. However, this disease is not caused by the same organism that causes Lyme disease, nor has it been linked to the same arthritic, neurological, or chronic symptoms associated with Lyme disease. It occurs predominantly in the coastal plain, but it may be found in the North Carolina Piedmont.

Black-Legged Tick (Ixodes scapularis)

Adults are active in late fall, in early spring, and in winter when temperatures rise above freezing. The black-legged tick is found in the same habitats and regions of North Carolina as the lone star tick. It is the vector (transmitter) of the bacterium that causes Lyme disease.

The black-legged tick is the primary carrier of Lyme disease. While Lyme disease is the least common in North Carolina, it has received much media attention and is very common in the northeastern United States. Still, its presence in North Carolina — especially in the coastal plain and Piedmont — means you should remain cautious, particularly during cooler months when this species is most active.

Pro Tip: The lone star tick has a distinctive white dot on the back of the female. The black-legged tick has distinctly dark legs compared to its reddish-brown body. Learning to identify these visual cues helps you act faster after a bite.

Tick Species	Peak Season	Primary Disease Risk	Common Location in NC
American Dog Tick	Spring–Fall	Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever	Statewide, most common in Piedmont
Brown Dog Tick	Year-round	Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever	Statewide (indoors/kennels)
Lone Star Tick	Spring–Summer (larvae in Fall)	Ehrlichiosis, STARI	Coastal Plain, Piedmont
Black-Legged Tick	Late Fall–Early Spring	Lyme Disease	Coastal Plain, Piedmont

North Carolina is also home to a wide variety of other wildlife that can carry or transport ticks into your yard and living spaces. You may want to familiarize yourself with types of snakes in North Carolina and lizards in North Carolina, as reptiles are known hosts for certain tick life stages — particularly the black-legged tick larvae and nymphs.

Tick-Borne Diseases in North Carolina

Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Lyme disease, and ehrlichiosis — all bacterial infections that can cause fever, headache, rashes, flu-like illness, and other symptoms — are commonly acquired from tick bites. These diseases can become severe and cause long-term health problems if not treated early.

In North Carolina, public health surveillance is conducted for the following tick-borne illnesses: anaplasmosis, ehrlichiosis, Lyme disease, and spotted fever illnesses including Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Here’s what you need to know about each one.

Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF)

Rocky Mountain spotted fever is the most common tick-borne illness in North Carolina. Carried by the American dog tick, symptoms appear within 2 to 14 days and include flu-like symptoms and a rash beginning on the wrists and ankles. Rocky Mountain spotted fever can be fatal if untreated.

Rocky Mountain spotted fever is a serious illness with a 23% mortality rate if untreated. Early diagnosis and antibiotic treatment are essential. If you notice a spotted rash on your wrists or ankles after spending time outdoors, seek medical attention immediately — don’t wait for symptoms to worsen.

Lyme Disease

Lyme disease is the most well-known tick-borne illness, causing fever, headache, fatigue, and a characteristic bull’s-eye rash. If left untreated, it can spread to joints, the heart, and nervous system.

Lyme disease accounted for 33% of all tick-borne diseases reported in North Carolina last year. While it’s the most well-known tick-borne disease, it’s actually very rare in North Carolina and only carried by the black-legged tick (deer tick). Early symptoms include a “bull’s-eye” rash pattern around the site of the tick bite and may be accompanied by flu-like symptoms and muscle pain and stiffness. You can read more about NCDHHS tick-borne disease guidance for the most current statewide recommendations.

Ehrlichiosis

Ehrlichiosis, which can cause symptoms similar to Lyme disease, accounted for 38% of all tick-borne diseases in North Carolina in 2024. Carried by the lone star tick, ehrlichiosis is a dangerous bacterial infection. Symptoms appear within 14 days of a tick bite and include high fever, muscle aches, headache, and a small percentage of people experience a rash.

STARI (Southern Tick-Associated Rash Illness)

Southern tick-associated rash illness (STARI) produces a rash similar to Lyme disease but is caused by the lone star tick. While STARI is not as well-studied as other tick-borne diseases, its rash can be mistaken for Lyme disease, which is why identifying the tick species involved in a bite is so helpful when you visit your doctor.

Babesiosis

While many people do not experience any symptoms of babesiosis, some may experience a mild flu-like illness with symptoms such as fever, chills, and body aches. However, more severe illness may occur, especially in those with weakened immune systems. Babesiosis is uncommon in North Carolina, with only four total cases identified since it became reportable in 2020. Still, it is worth knowing about, particularly if you are immunocompromised. For additional context on tick-related neurological conditions, see our article on tick-borne encephalitis.

Important Note: These diseases are treatable with antibiotics, and early treatment can prevent severe illness from developing. If you feel ill after you have been bitten by a tick, it is important to see your health care provider as soon as possible.

All three primary tick-borne diseases — RMSF, Lyme disease, and ehrlichiosis — are bacterial diseases and can be treated with antibiotics. It is important to catch them early.

High-Risk Areas and Habitats in North Carolina

North Carolina’s humid climate and abundant wooded areas create perfect conditions for ticks to thrive. Understanding where ticks concentrate helps you take targeted precautions rather than avoiding the outdoors altogether.

Where Ticks Live

Ticks live in wooded, grassy, and brushy areas, and frequenting these areas can put you in contact with ticks and increase your potential exposure to vector-borne diseases. More specifically, ticks tend to position themselves at the edge of vegetation — on blades of grass, low shrubs, or leaf litter — and wait for a host to brush past them. This behavior is called “questing.”

Ticks usually like to hang out on the edge of things, like a forest. “They are denser vegetation, they have more resources for animals to live there, and wherever there are high concentration of animals, that’s where ticks want to be.”

Common high-risk habitats in North Carolina include:

• Wooded trails and forest edges, especially in the Appalachian Mountains and Piedmont
• Tall grass, overgrown fields, and meadow margins
• Leaf litter and brush piles
• Recreational parks and farm pastures
• Backyards that border wooded areas or natural greenspace
• Coastal plain shrublands, particularly in eastern North Carolina

The American dog tick lives along woodland paths, in recreational parks, farm pastures, wastelands, and other shrubby habitats in rural and suburban areas of North Carolina. This means that even a casual walk through a neighborhood park or a morning in your garden carries some level of risk during peak season.

Regional Differences Across NC

According to the Tick-Borne Infections Council of North Carolina, there are a few different types of ticks in North Carolina that can carry different diseases. The type of tick you come across depends on where you are in the state.

The coastal plain of eastern North Carolina tends to harbor the lone star tick and black-legged tick in higher densities. The Piedmont region — including areas around Raleigh, Greensboro, and Charlotte — is where the American dog tick is most common. The American dog tick is found throughout North Carolina, but it is most common in the Piedmont area.

Pro Tip: If you’re planning an outdoor activity — from hiking in the Blue Ridge to hunting in the eastern counties — check the NC DHHS Tick Distribution Dashboard before you go. It shows current tick and disease data by county, helping you gauge local risk.

North Carolina’s diverse wildlife plays a role in tick distribution as well. Deer, white-footed mice, raccoons, and opossums are all common tick hosts. Interestingly, certain animals actually help control tick populations. Learn more about animals that eat ticks and the natural role they play in the ecosystem. If you enjoy hunting or outdoor recreation, be especially mindful during dove hunting season in North Carolina, when you’re spending extended time in fields and woodland edges — prime tick habitat.

How to Protect Yourself, Children and Pets During Tick Season in North Carolina

Prevention is your most effective tool against tick-borne illness. The strategies below are straightforward and work for the whole family — including your pets.

Personal Protection

1. Wear protective clothing. Minimize exposed skin by wearing long-sleeved shirts, long pants, and closed-toe shoes whenever possible. Wearing bright clothing can also make it easier to spot ticks.
2. Tuck in your clothing. Wear a long-sleeved shirt tucked into long pants. Tuck long pants into socks. This creates a barrier that forces ticks to crawl on the outside of your clothing rather than directly onto skin.
3. Use EPA-approved repellent. Use an EPA-approved repellent, such as those containing DEET or picaridin, on exposed skin and treat clothing with a pesticide called permethrin (0.5%).
4. Stay on trails. Walk on paths. Avoid tall grasses, brushy areas, deep woods and leaf litter.
5. Shower after being outdoors. Shower soon after being outdoors — within 2 hours — to more easily find ticks.
6. Do a full-body tick check. Ticks will often crawl to warm, moist places on the body like the groin, neck, behind the ears, under the arms and behind the knees — any place skin folds. Check these areas carefully after every outdoor outing.

Protecting Children

Check children and pets for ticks every day when they come inside. Children are particularly vulnerable because they often play in grass, roll in leaves, and spend long hours outdoors without thinking to check themselves. Make tick checks a routine part of coming back indoors — treat it like washing hands after playing outside.

Use caution when applying insect repellent to children. The CDC recommends avoiding DEET on infants under 2 months old and using products with lower DEET concentrations on young children. Permethrin-treated clothing is a safe and effective alternative for kids who are old enough to wear it.

Protecting Pets

Treat pets that spend time outdoors for ticks. There are tick repellents especially made for pets. Speak with your veterinarian about the best preventive product for your dog or cat, whether that’s a collar, topical treatment, or oral medication.

Pets that roam through grass and wooded areas can carry ticks back into your home, putting the whole family at risk. Check your dog or cat thoroughly after any outdoor activity, paying close attention to the ears, between the toes, around the collar, and under the tail. For more on keeping your dog safe from tick-related health issues, read our guide on tips for preventing tick-borne diseases in your dog.

Yard and Property Management

Reduce tick habitats around your house with selective landscaping techniques such as pruning shrubs and bushes, removing leaf litter and keeping grass cut short.

Additional yard strategies include:

• If your property backs up to wooded areas, create a 3-foot wide barrier of dry wood chips (not the damp shredded mulch) to create a dry, hot space ticks can’t cross.
• Store woodpiles away from your home and recreational areas. Reducing rodent habitat near your home can significantly impact tick populations.
• Place children’s play equipment in sunny, open areas away from woodland edges, where tick populations are lower.

Common Mistake: Many people only check for ticks at the end of the day. In reality, a tick must be attached for at least six hours to transmit Rocky Mountain spotted fever and at least 24 hours to transmit Lyme disease, so checking yourself frequently — especially mid-day — dramatically reduces your risk of infection.

North Carolina is also home to many fascinating insects and wildlife that share these habitats. Exploring the outdoors safely means being aware of your full surroundings — from types of bees in North Carolina to types of wasps in North Carolina and beyond.

What to Do If You Find a Tick in North Carolina

Finding a tick on yourself, your child, or your pet can be unsettling — but staying calm and acting quickly is the best approach. Proper removal is critical; incorrect technique can leave mouthparts embedded in the skin or cause the tick to expel fluids, potentially increasing disease risk.

How to Remove a Tick

1. Use fine-tipped tweezers. If there is a tick attached to your body, carefully remove the tick by grasping it with fine-tipped tweezers as close as possible to your skin, then apply a steady, gentle pull until it releases.
2. Pull straight up — don’t twist. Don’t twist or jerk the tick, since that can cause the mouth-parts to break off and stay in your skin. If this happens, remove the mouth-parts with tweezers. If you can’t remove the mouth with tweezers, leave it alone and let the skin heal.
3. Clean the bite site. After the tick has been removed, clean the bitten area with alcohol or wash it with soap and water.
4. Save the tick. Don’t throw the tick away. Tape it to a card and mark the date you found it, as well as where on your body you found it. Mark your calendar 30 days from now, because symptoms most likely will occur within the first 30 days. Bring the tick with you to your provider.
5. Note your calendar. Make a note on your calendar when you remove an attached tick. This helps you and your doctor track the timeline if symptoms develop.

Important Note: Never use petroleum jelly, nail polish, heat, or other folk remedies to remove a tick. These methods are ineffective and can increase your risk of infection by agitating the tick. Tweezers and a steady pull are all you need.

What to Watch For After Removal

Not all ticks carry disease and not all tick bites will make you sick. If you get flu-like symptoms or a rash in the month after a tick bite, see your doctor and let them know you were bitten by a tick.

Common warning signs to watch for in the 2–30 days following a tick bite include:

• Fever, chills, or sweating
• Headache or muscle aches
• A bull’s-eye rash around the bite site (possible Lyme disease)
• A spotted rash starting at the wrists or ankles (possible RMSF)
• Fatigue or general flu-like illness

Diseases caused by ticks can be treated with antibiotics. Early treatment can help shorten the length and severity of illness. If you’re unsure whether your symptoms are tick-related, go to the doctor if you feel sick within 30 days of spending time in an area where ticks like to live, even if you don’t remember having a tick bite.

Reporting Tick Bites and Tick-Borne Illness in North Carolina

Reporting tick bites and confirmed tick-borne illnesses helps North Carolina’s public health system track disease trends, identify high-risk areas, and respond quickly to outbreaks. You play an important role in that process.

Who Reports What

The Tick Distribution and Tick-Borne Disease Dashboard uses entomologic surveillance data collected through the NC Veterinary Tick Identification Program and human disease surveillance data collected from the North Carolina Electronic Disease Surveillance System (NC EDSS) to illustrate tick and tick-borne disease data in North Carolina.

The NC Communicable Disease Manual for Local Health Departments includes case definitions, investigation steps, and reporting information for the tick-borne illnesses reportable in North Carolina: ehrlichiosis, Lyme disease, and Rocky Mountain spotted fever. In practice, it is your healthcare provider — not you — who formally reports a confirmed or probable tick-borne illness to the state. However, there are important steps you can take to support that process.

What You Should Do

• Tell your doctor about the bite. When you seek care after a tick bite or with tick-related symptoms, always inform your provider that you were bitten by a tick, when it happened, and where you were when it occurred. This context helps your doctor order the right tests and report the case accurately.
• Bring the tick if possible. As mentioned above, saving the tick can help your provider identify the species and assess disease risk more accurately.
• Contact your local health department. Your local health department is the first line of contact for communicable disease control, surveillance, and response in your community. You can find your local health department through the NC DPH Tick-Borne Illness page.
• Use the NCDHHS resources. The NCDHHS “Fight the Bite” campaign provides updated guidance each year on tick and mosquito-borne disease prevention in North Carolina.

Pro Tip: The NC DHHS publishes an annual Tickborne Disease Surveillance Report with county-level data. Reviewing this report can help you understand the specific risk profile in your area of the state.

Tick Identification Resources

If you’re unsure what kind of tick you’ve found, North Carolina offers several identification resources. The NC State Extension publication on ticks and tick-borne diseases provides detailed species descriptions and images to help you identify common North Carolina ticks. You can also submit ticks to your veterinarian through the NC Veterinary Tick Identification Program for professional identification.

Being familiar with the other insects and wildlife around you in North Carolina also helps you stay alert outdoors. From types of beetles in North Carolina to types of moths in North Carolina, understanding your local ecosystem makes you a more informed and prepared outdoor enthusiast. When heading into tick territory, knowing your surroundings — including the types of hawks in North Carolina and other wildlife that inhabit the same wooded edges where ticks thrive — puts the full picture in perspective.

Tick season in North Carolina is long, but it’s manageable. With the right knowledge, protective habits, and a calm, systematic approach to any bites you encounter, you can enjoy everything the state’s outdoors has to offer — from the Blue Ridge Mountains to the coastal plain — without putting your health at unnecessary risk. Stay aware, check yourself and your loved ones regularly, and don’t hesitate to reach out to your healthcare provider or local health department if something doesn’t feel right after a tick bite.