Yes, deer ticks can not only survive in snow, but the snow itself can help them survive. Ticks tend to take shelter in leaf litter, which keeps them warm, and then snow cover helps further insulate them from cold air.
You might think winter would solve the tick problem. And the answer is that it sort of does and sort of doesn’t. Ticks can be a problem any time it’s above freezing in the winter, and the reason for this comes down to biology.
Blacklegged ticks, commonly called deer ticks, overwinter either as nymphs or adults. One place they do this is in leaf litter. That layer holds moisture and moderates temperature, and a blanket of snow on top further insulates them. It’s the same concept as an igloo. Ground temperature under leaf litter and snow stays far more stable than the air above it, often near freezing rather than well below. Ticks survive that comfortably.
What harms tick populations is drying rather than cold. Hard freezes with no snow cover and low humidity are worse than a deep snowy winter, which runs contrary to what a typical person would assume (and reasonably so).
The bad news is that whenever the temperature is above freezing and there isn’t snow on the ground, ticks can latch onto you. This can happen even in January or February if there’s a thaw. Winter hikers and dog walkers often pick up ticks this way. It can happen to you even if your goal is just to cut some firewood.
The most important thing to do is remember ticks can still be a problem in cold weather. Keep doing tick checks on mild winter days. Remove any that you find on yourself quickly and keep your pets on preventatives.
If ticks are a problem on your property, Mosquito Squad of Northwest Indiana can help. Mosquito Squad treats the leaf litter and shaded edges where ticks wait for a host. This will help you protect your family with up to 90% reduction in pest activity on a recurring cycle.
