Navigating Massachusetts' Peak Tick Season This Fall 🧭

Many long-time Massachusetts residents know that tick season doesn't end with summer—it extends well into the fall! It's pretty common for hikers, outdoor lovers, and even pet owners just walking their dogs in their neighborhood to find ticks on themselves, their furry friends, or in their homes during autumn. If you're new to the seasonal tick risks in Massachusetts, it's super important to understand when ticks are most active and how to protect yourself from bites.

Tick Exposure Emergency Room Visits in Massachusetts

According to the latest data from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, visits to Emergency Departments (EDs) for tick exposure and tick-borne diseases follow predictable seasonal patterns.

Looking at the graphs from August 2025, tick activity usually goes up in the spring and early summer, with another bump in the fall. The exact timing can shift a bit depending on the weather

Source: Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Bureau of Infectious Disease and Laboratory Sciences. Tick Exposure and Tick-borne Disease Syndromic Surveillance Report, August 2025.

Massachusetts Department of Public Health

Why Do We See a Second Spike in Tick Activity in the Fall?

The reason for that autumn tick surge is all about their life cycle! As temperatures warm up in the spring, ticks emerge: eggs hatch into larvae, larvae grow into nymphs, and adult females lay new eggs. The main threat in spring and summer comes from nymph ticks, which are big transmitters of Lyme disease.

The second wave of activity in the fall is driven by adult ticks. They're busy mating before winter arrives. Female ticks look for one last blood meal in the autumn before going into a dormant state called diapause, where they hide under leaves and ground litter. The next spring, these females will lay up to 2,000 eggs at once and then die. Diapause is a true dormancy where the tick's development completely stops, unlike hibernation.

We are very actively treating properties for ticks into November to combat this second wave of activity. 

What to Do About Tick Encounters in Massachusetts

Residents across Massachusetts face a risk of tick bites from spring through fall- even into winter on those warmer days. While some areas report higher tick exposure rates, the risk is never zero. The Bureau of Infectious Disease and Laboratory Sciences recommends that everyone "take recommended steps to reduce the chance of being bitten."

While not every tick bite leads to illness, avoiding bites is the best way to prevent tick-borne diseases in Massachusetts. This means taking precautions when you're outdoors, like wearing long sleeves and pants. The CDC suggests treating your everyday walking,  hiking, hunting, clothes and gear with 0.5% permethrin, or buying items that are already pre-treated. Applying bug spray with DEET will deter them or any number of organic options that are now available and work really well.  Regardless of the precautions you take, ALWAYS do a thorough tick check of yourself and your pets anytime you leave the yard.  Dogs that love to explore will commonly get them attached to their ears, snout or underside of their chin from sticking their faces into brush but check them snout to tail!

One idea that may be overlooked to taking steps at this time of the year to keep mice out of your house. This is the season they start looking for warmer places to spend the winter and they can bring ticks into your home so be diligent about mouse proofing your house. Again we recommend organic scent driven options to deter mice. Poison baits work well but a stinking dead mouse in the walls is unpleasant! Worse, a poisoned mouse can be eaten by a predator and get sick as well.