Maine Tick Warning – They’re Awake!

Ticks are awake and active in Maine, so it's time to start doing regular tick checks.

My Dog Toby Picked Up a Tick During a Walk in the Woods

It seems to me. I mean, it's still winter in Maine and, because we live in the woods, there's still snow in my yard. But my dog, Toby, came home from visiting his friend next door this week and he had a tick perched on top of his head. I saw the little (insert expletive here) and took care of him, but it alerted me to the fact that those pesky ticks are awake.

READ MORE: Maine Fact or Fiction: Can Ticks Really Regrow Their Bodies?

It Turns Out That Once the Weather Gets Above Freezing, Ticks are Active

I always assumed that ticks die when the weather gets cold. But I've learned that they're dormant in winter and will reawaken once the weather starts to warm. The tick that I saw on Toby was not one of the tiny little baby ticks that we see in Spring, but appeared to be an adult. (I think....what do I know?)

The UMaine Tick Lab Knows Way More Than I Do

Of course, according to the University of Maine Tick Lab, among Maine's 15 species of ticks, there are Winter Ticks that are active during the winter months. But this one didn't look like the pictures on the UMaine site.

Ticks will typically become active in late February/early March once the temperatures rise above freezing. With our warm temperatures lately, the little arachnids are waiting in the forested areas for the right host to wander by.

My husband Jim and I will buy some tick repellant for Toby soon to protect him, as best we can. And we'll be doing regular tick checks on Toby and each other. Spring is in the air and the grass, waiting for you to walk by. Be ready.