Tick activity increases in the spring. But the highest-risk period is late spring and early summer (May to July). This is when tiny nymphal ticks are most active and most likely to transmit disease.
You might be seeing some ticks as the weather warms up in New Haven and Fairfield Counties. And that’s not your imagination. Tick season in Connecticut starts as early as March, once temperatures consistently reach the mid-40s.
Even early in the spring, adult blacklegged ticks that overwintered in leaf litter can become active. Then they stay active all the way through May. These are the larger ticks, about the size of a sesame seed. They’re relatively easy to spot during a tick check. They can transmit Lyme disease and other pathogens, but because they’re more visible, people tend to find and remove them faster.
The most dangerous period starts in May and runs through July. This is when nymphal ticks emerge. They’re in the juvenile stage and they’re tiny. As in, they’re about the size of poppy seeds.
Their small size is a large part of why they’re responsible for the majority of Lyme disease transmission. They’re incredibly hard to spot on skin or clothing, and that means they stay attached longer and have more time to spread pathogens. Most people who contract Lyme disease are infected by a nymph they never noticed.
Ticks don’t just go away after the summer ends. There’s another peak in the fall, around October and November. Until first frost comes around, ticks will still be active and you need to watch out for them.
The practical takeaway is that tick precautions in this part of Connecticut should start in early spring and continue through late fall. That means doing daily tick checks and wearing long pants and sleeves in vegetated areas. As for keeping up your own property, we have a video on the 6 C's of tick control if you are looking for practical steps you can take to reduce your risk.
If you’re a New Haven or Fairfield County homeowner and you want season-long protection, Mosquito Squad of New Haven - Fairfield County can help. Tick control treatments start in early spring and are reapplied on a recurring schedule through the fall. That means you can expect an up to 90% reduction in ticks for 21 days at a time, with re-treatments timed so you never see a lapse in your protection.
