Tick season in Massachusetts typically begins in March or April, as soon as temperatures consistently reach the mid-40s, and extends through November. Peak risk is from May through July when nymphal ticks are most active.
You might think that ticks are a summer problem. But the truth is that you need to worry about them a lot earlier than that. And that can be discouraging, especially if you were hoping for a clear start and end date.
Adult blacklegged ticks are the primary carriers of Lyme disease in Massachusetts. And they tend to be active in two distinct waves. The first is in spring, roughly March to May. The second is in the fall, from October to November, whenever temperatures stay above freezing. These are the larger ticks that are easier to spot, and while they can transmit disease, they’re not the ones responsible for most infections.
The higher-risk period goes from late spring to early summer. This is when nymphal ticks emerge. These are ticks in the juvenile stage and they’re really easy to miss because of their size. They’re about the size of a poppy seed and are very difficult to spot on skin or clothes. It’s actually how hard they are to spot that makes them so dangerous. Ticks have to be attached for 24 hours or more to transmit Lyme disease, and being hard to detect makes that easier to do.
Springfield is home to rivers, forests, suburban landscaping, and abundant wildlife. It’s pretty much paradise for ticks. You don’t need to be deep in the Berkshires to run into them. Residential yards with shaded edges, stone walls, leaf litter, and garden beds give them everything they need.
The practical takeaway is that tick precautions should start early. The best thing you can do is check for ticks daily since they need to be attached a while to make you sick. Beyond that, it’s wise to wear long pants and sleeves in vegetated areas and use repellents with DEET or permethrin. On your property, if you want to further cut down on your risk, check out our video on the 6 C's of tick control.
If you’re a Springfield homeowner and you want season-long coverage, Mosquito Squad of Springfield can help. Tick control treatments start in early spring and re-treatments are done every 21 days. Getting treatment in place before nymph season peaks means you’ll give your family the most protection during the highest-risk months.
