Do You Think Ticks Hibernate Or Die In The Winter?

One would think that freezing weather would cause ticks to hibernate or die, but you would have to think again. States that stay below freezing for most of the winter will not have a high risk but it is not impossible. Keep this in mind when raking the leaves and snow close to the ground.

The key is to know ticks are active and how to prevent tick bites. It’s easy to fend off these beasts by making a few changes. If you are walking in high grass, or have tree limbs brushing the trail, even dead leaves can be a host for ticks. Before you head out, spray exposed areas with DEET* making sure to spray the foot to above your ankles.

Put pant legs in socks so the tick can’t climb in. Wear a hikers hat with a trail that covers the back of the neck. No more falling off a tree limb right down the back of your shirt. They look for every chance they can get to attach to you, the host. The most critical step is to check your body, complete body, once home. Wash your clothes right away, don’t put them in the washing bin and let them move around your other clothes.

As someone who lives with Chronic Lyme Disease, I can say that preventing a tick bite is a hell of a lot better than getting Lyme.

Tick Expert with the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station says:

If you’re enjoying the warmer-than-usual winter, so are ticks. The insects do not have to go into their usual hibernation on days when the temperature exceeds 40 degrees. It used to be the people who study ticks in Connecticut got pretty bored in the winter months. Not anymore.

“We used to call it tick activity season,” explained Dr. Goudarz Molaei, a tick expert with the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station. “We can no longer call it tick activity season as ticks are active year-round.”

When people get bit, they send their ticks to the Agricultural Experiment Station. It used to be they would get about 50 all winter long. Now they are getting around 800.

“We receive ticks daily, and some days we receive over ten tick specimens from the public,” Molaei said.

If Connecticut no longer has a non-active tick season, chances are the surrounding states are also seeing an increase in ticks during the winter. Be safe by preparing on the front end.

DEET* or no DEET, is based on your preference. There is plenty of information for your searches.

Melinda

References:

https://www.wtnh.com/news/ticks-becoming-active-year-round-in-connecticut-due-to-warmer-winters/