The Lone Star tick is no stranger to people living in the American Gulf South; however, this tick’s range is rapidly expanding northward into the Midwest and Northeast United States. While those living in the Gulf South may be prepared to take precautions against ticks in their own backyards, they may not be as vigilant during summer trips up North, frequently made to escape the oppressive summer heat in the South. Given recent patterns of warm winters, suburbanization, and the growing proximity of people, mice, and deer populations, popular travel destinations once thought of as safe from threat of tick-borne disease are no longer safe. For example, Martha’s Vineyard, the Massachusetts island seven miles off the coast and longtime popular travel destination known for being an upscale summer retreat, has also become host to the lone star tick in recent summers. Programs designed to increase urban green space, combined with a lack of consideration for tick treatment and prevention, have also made the threat of metropolitan tick-borne illness much more likely in cities along the Amtrak-corridor, such as Washington, Philadelphia, and New York.

The highest risk for tickborne disease comes when tick nymphs are most active. Unlike the adult ticks, nymphs are smaller and more difficult to detect on the human body. Since they may not be noticed right away, they have more of an opportunity to transmit the disease while they are still attached to the host. Regarding deer ticks, the threat of Lyme disease fades with the arrival of Fall. Deer tick nymphs are most active from mid-May through mid-July. However, peak activity for Lone Star tick larvae, the life stage prior to nymph, occurs June through August. This means heightened Lone Star nymph activity generally occurs towards the end of the summer.