Yes, adult blacklegged ticks can and often do bite in fall, with the worst activity going from roughly September to November in Southeast Pennsylvania. They can bite you on any day above freezing, including mild stretches in December and January.
A lot of people think of ticks as a summer problem, but that’s not quite true. They can and often will bite you in the fall, and even on milder days in the winter.
Blacklegged ticks tend to have two activity peaks. The first is owed to nymphal ticks, about the size of poppy seeds. This happens from May to July. They’re the ticks most responsible for Lyme disease because they’re so small that they can latch on and go undetected for a long time. Things quiet down a bit in the summer and then become a problem again from roughly September to November.
Ticks don’t need warmth so much as they need an absence of cold. If it’s above freezing and there isn’t snow on the ground, they can climb on vegetation and wait for a host. It can be 35 degrees outside and you can be bitten by a tick.
If you want to reduce your odds of being bitten by a tick, the first thing to do is basic lawn care. Mow the grass and rake or blow leaf litter. That gives ticks fewer places to hide on your property. If you’re going out in untreated places, you can wear permethrin-treated clothes for long hours in the brush and tuck pants into socks. It’s also wise to use a tick repellent with DEET or picaridin in it.
Once you go back inside, check yourself for ticks in places like the hairline, ears, waistband, groin, and behind the knees. If you find ticks, remove them promptly. This action alone can greatly reduce your odds of falling ill with a tickborne disease.
If you are finding ticks in the fall, Mosquito Squad of Southeast Pennsylvania 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.
