BRIAN PAIGE
PEST RECEIVES UPDATE BEACON AWARD
BRIAN PAIGE
PEST RECEIVES UPDATE BEACON AWARD
" Weather " or Not to Worry about Ticks this Year
By Blake Dinius, Entomologist, Plymouth County Cooperative Extension
Ticks can be active on any day of the year. While lone star ticks( Amblyomma americanum) and dog ticks( Dermacentor variabilis) are primarily found in the warmer summer months, deer ticks( Ixodes scapularis) are active all year long. Of the three ticks, deer ticks are the only ones that will actively seek out a meal in the winter. But weather and temperature can influence tick activity. Deer ticks won’ t quest through snow or on rainy days. They also are not active under 32 ° F, and are quite sluggish until temperatures are above 40 ° F.
Q. This has been a rough winter in many parts of the state. Will the ticks be bad this year?
A. On average, temperatures have been colder than we have seen in recent years. We have also seen record snowfall in parts of the state. Unfortunately, I don’ t anticipate the snow or the cold-ish conditions to have affected tick populations in a noticeable way. We should anticipate seeing enough ticks to warrant personal protection.
Q. I have heard ticks die in the cold?
A. Cold temperatures can and do impact survival in deer ticks, lone star ticks, and American dog ticks. When directly exposed to open air temperatures around 7-10 ° F, most individuals of these species will die within 2 hours. There is undoubtedly some degree of mortality that tick populations experience during the winter. It’ s just not enough.
Lone star ticks are a relatively new addition to the neighborhood. This tick tends to first establish along coastal areas with more mild winters( I know, the Blizzard of 2026 says otherwise). In a 2019 study on lone star tick survival in Maine and Connecticut, about 22 % of ticks observed survived winters in Maine. In contrast, about 60 % survived winters in Connecticut, where the species is well established.
With ticks, it’ s all a numbers game. The reality is that many won’ t make it to the winter, let alone survive it. We know that ticks experience a high degree of mortality throughout their lives. Even if some ticks succumb to the cold, plenty will make it into the spring. Ticks lay about 2,000-10,000 eggs, depending on the species. Each female lone star tick lays about 3,000 eggs. Even if only a small percentage of her ticks survive the winter, the chances of some progeny surviving are increased through sheer volume.
Q. Doesn’ t the cold not bother them anyway?
A. In addition to high fecundity, ticks produce cryoprotectants that function like antifreeze. Take forecasted readings with caution. Air temperature readings are not an accurate indicator of what ticks are exposed to in the wild.
While cold air temperatures can kill them, many will avoid open air exposure. Deer ticks and dog ticks will burrow under leaves and snow for insulation. Dog ticks even burrow underground. For better or worse, lone star tick survival does not seem affected by the amount of snow fall or leaf litter. continued on page 19
MALP Newsline | Spring 2026 15