Ticks do not hibernate. They become active anytime temperatures rise above freezing, even in the dead of winter. In fact, adult deer ticks peak during the cooler months of fall and early spring.
You might associate ticks with the warm season. But in Wisconsin, reality is a little messier than that. In fact, the deer tick, the very same one known for carrying Lyme disease, has a real cold-weather streak. You can find one on your leg even when when it’s 35° outside.
When the air rises above freezing and the ground isn’t frozen solid or buried in snow, adult deer ticks can become active and search for a host. They don’t need summer heat to get moving, just a brief thaw will do it.
Deer ticks tend to peak at two times of year. The tiny nymphs are out in late spring and summer. The adults peak in fall and stay active into winter and again in early spring. They go quiet only during hard freezes and under deep snow cover.
Ticks hide beneath leaf litter and packed snow, which act like blankets that keep them alive until warmer weather returns. A quick warm spell in January or February that melts the snow is all it takes to wake adult ticks hiding beneath the leaf litter. If you are a late-season hunter, walking your dog, or simply enjoying a mild day outside, always check for ticks, as you can easily pick one up the moment the weather breaks. So keep doing tick checks even after winter outings and keep pets on year-round preventives.
If you’re tired of dealing with ticks on your property, Mosquito Squad of Northeast Wisconsin can help. Mosquito Squad provides tick control that accounts for the long shoulder seasons. With regular treatment, you can better protect your family with up to 90% reduction in pest activity on a recurring 21-day cycle through the season.
