Nymphs are tiny!
Click the link to see the rest of the picture.
Updates
May 31, 2024: Nymphs have been active for most of May. Adults are also still out but numbers are declining. The Lyme spirochete is usually present in about 20% of nymphs (1 out of 5) and around half of adults. Be sure to remove ticks quickly to reduce the risk of transmission. June into the first 2 weeks in July is usually our peak season for nymphs so stay vigilant.
May is National Lyme Awareness Month. Use personal prevention (tick checks, repellents) to help protect yourself, your pets and your family.
April 9, 2024: Adult deer ticks are very active in April. With the warm weather, it's especially important to start doing regular tick checks. Remember that ticks may be on your head but also may attach anywhere from your feet to your neck.
March 13, 2024: Our colleagues at the Department of Health Services just received a photo of a nymphal deer tick that was found this week in southern Wisconsin. That's earlier than the record we set last year in April, by 1 full month.
March 12 , 2024: We've been collecting adult deer ticks for at least a month now because of the warm temperatures. It looks like the risky months will be expanded this year. So please use your tick prevention methods-do a tick check, take a shower soon after being outside, throw your clothes in a hot dryer and use a repellent.
2024: We recommend using a repellent, especially on the lower half of the body where it may be harder to do a complete tick check (and where ticks likely grab on first).
2024: Remember to do your tick checks-adults are relatively easy to feel and remove. Take a look at the pictures of nymphs to learn about the very small size of this stage and how to find them.
2024: The Tick App now has a Spanish version. We are excited to expand the Tick App to new audiences to provide reminders about prevention strategies! The Tick App is a smartphone application to study human behavior, tick exposure and the risk of Lyme disease by collecting data through simple surveys with a citizen science approach.
Nymphal deer ticks can be in your lawn. We found lots of them in mowed grass near woods while sampling at home sites in Eau Claire, Wisconsin and near Mirror Lake. 