What to expect this tick season

A tick warning sign attached to a tree on a forest trail.

Visits to the emergency department for tick bites have been on the rise in recent years, and the risk of bites and tick-borne illnesses remains high — especially in warm weather months.

John Halperin, MD, a neurologist at Atlantic Health, shares what to expect during tick season, how to prevent tick-borne illness and the symptoms to watch for.

When is tick season?

As the climate changes and we have earlier springs and hotter summers, tick season has been starting earlier. Warmer weather and heavy rains are leading to larger tick populations throughout the Northeast and beyond. This extended, more intense tick season has led to a rise in tick-borne illnesses.

“Spring and early summer are prime time for getting bitten by the younger, nymphal ticks, which are the main ones that bite humans in the Northeast,” says Dr. Halperin. “So, seeing a lot of them means an increased risk of disease.”

There’s also been increased recognition of other tick-borne illnesses among doctors and the public, leading to a rise in diagnoses in the last few years.

What is a tick-borne illness?

In the Northeast, ticks (primarily deer ticks) can cause a range of illnesses such as:

Anaplasmosis
Babesiosis
Lyme disease
Powassan

These parasites and bacteria are transferred when ticks feed on field mice which are carrying these infections. If the ticks then feed on humans, they can transfer that infection, leading to illness.

“The Northeast remains a hotbed for these and other tick-borne diseases, though that area is expanding,” says Dr. Halperin.

Tick-borne illnesses often cause similar symptoms, such as:

Chills
Fever
Muscle aches
Rash (though not in the case of babesiosis)

How to prevent tick-borne illnesses

While most tick-borne illnesses are treatable, preventing them is the best option:

Avoid deer, field mice and their habitats (wooded areas and low brush).
Do a tick check and shower after being outside.
Stick to the middle of trails when hiking.
Use an EPA-approved tick repellent that contains DEET.
Wear long clothing and high socks. Consider treating clothing with permethrin or other tick repellent.

“Ticks need to be attached for a period of time before you’re at real risk of infection,” says Dr. Halperin. “If you find a tick, though, you still want to get it off of you as quickly as you can.”

When it comes to taking it off, Dr. Halperin says not to use a cigarette butt or a match. Instead, pointed-tipped tweezers, put them between the skin and the tick, and pull. Clean the area and, if you can, take a picture of the tick for identification purposes. If you contract a tick-borne infection, most people recover with a course of antibiotics or antiparasitic medication.

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Published: July 21, 2026

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