This spring, Minnesotans are eager to get out and enjoy the beautiful outdoors. Unfortunately, warmer weather also ushers in pests like ticks. Many ticks can carry bacteria, viruses and parasites that can harm humans, including Lyme disease and anaplasmosis.

Associate Professor Jon Oliver with the University of Minnesota School of Public Health answers questions about the outlook for this year’s tick season in Minnesota, including how people can avoid ticks and what to do if they find one on themselves.

Q: Will there be a lot of ticks this year?
Prof. Oliver: It is always a good bet that there will be plenty of deer ticks in Minnesota in the spring and summer. We see fewer ticks during years with dry weather and low humidity. Wet weather in summer 2024 means that immature ticks were able to thrive. This year, those ticks will have grown to be adults and nymphs. Based on last year’s numbers and the typical winter temperatures we experienced this year, I expect we will have a fairly average year for deer ticks and that means there will be plenty of them around. Warm days in April mean that adult ticks are already out and about, especially when daytime temperatures exceed 60 degrees.

Q: What types of ticks are most common in Minnesota?
Prof. Oliver: Deer ticks and American dog ticks are common in Minnesota and both commonly bite people and pets. Although both species can potentially transmit diseases, deer ticks are more concerning because they are often infected with the bacteria that cause Lyme disease.

Q: Where are ticks most prevalent?
Prof. Oliver: Deer ticks require a refuge with a high humidity level, such as the forest leaf layer, so they are most often found in forested areas. Deer ticks are now found in every forested county in the state, so people should be vigilant while enjoying the outdoors. Adult deer ticks are active April through June and September through November when temperatures are above freezing and there is no snow. Immature ticks are considered more of a disease risk because they are smaller and harder to notice, so they often remain attached and feed for longer. Immature ticks are mostly active in May through July in Minnesota.

Q: What can people do to avoid getting ticks on themselves and what should someone do if they find one?
Prof. Oliver: Tick-borne diseases are more easily prevented than cured. Insect repellents that contain DEET or other EPA-approved repellent chemicals are effective at repelling ticks. If you spend a lot of time in tick habitats, it may be worth treating a suit of clothes with permethrin, a repellent/insecticide that works on ticks. Tucking pants legs into your socks can help keep ticks on the outside of your clothes making them easier to spot. The bacteria that cause Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases usually take hours to enter your body after a tick attaches to feed. Daily tick checks will greatly reduce your chance of getting Lyme disease even if you are bitten.

If you find a tick biting you:

• Use tweezers to grab the tick by its mouthparts where they enter your skin.
• Pull the tick straight off. Avoid crushing its body.
• After a tick bite, be mindful of your health. If you develop a rash or flu-like symptoms, visit your doctor.

Q: How is your work at the University of Minnesota advancing tick research?
Prof. Oliver: My research focuses on the interactions of ticks and the bacteria they carry, as well as the distribution of ticks on the landscape of the Upper Midwest. New pathogens are discovered relatively often in Minnesota’s deer ticks, and our lab is working to find out how and where new diseases arise.

One exciting new project we are working on aims to bring detection tools to the field for much more rapid identification and discovery of pathogens in ticks and rodents. Using an innovative mobile laboratory in the field, we can use these tools to detect pathogens within hours instead of days. We can also use the new tools to detect a full range of tick-borne pathogens at the same time, where previous tools could only detect one pathogen at a time. Testing the sensitivity and reliability of this new surveillance system will be a major focus of our summer activities this year.

Jon Oliver is an associate professor in the University of Minnesota School of Public Health. He specializes in the relationship between ticks and emerging tick-borne pathogens relevant to human health.

-30-

About the School of Public Health
The University of Minnesota School of Public Health improves the health and wellbeing of populations and communities around the world by bringing innovative research, learning, and concrete actions to today’s biggest health challenges. We prepare some of the most influential leaders in the field, and partner with health departments, communities, and policymakers to advance health equity for all. Learn more at sph.umn.edu.

About “Talking…with University of Minnesota”
“Talking…with University of Minnesota” is a resource whereby University of Minnesota experts answer questions on timely topics. News organizations are welcome to republish this content. If you would like to schedule an interview or have suggestions for future topics, please contact University Public Relations at unews@umn.edu.