Tick season has arrived in Michigan, and experts warn that simply keeping your lawn neatly trimmed is no longer sufficient protection against these persistent pests and the diseases they carry. Michigan’s tick population and the incidence of tick-borne illnesses are on the rise, posing a growing threat right in your own backyard.
State epidemiologist Rachel Burkholder, often called Michigan’s “official tick checker,” reported receiving around 600 emails about tick sightings this year, significantly more than previous years. This upward trend signals that we should expect tick populations and associated infections to continue increasing annually.
Ticks aren’t confined to deep woods; they are increasingly found in suburban and urban yards, including those that are well-maintained. While ticks might prefer dense brush and tall grass, they are often transported into yards by common visitors like birds, small mammals, and even pets. Therefore, taking comprehensive prevention steps is now more crucial than ever, even on mowed lawns.
The most common and serious tick-borne illness in Michigan is Lyme disease, but other risks like anaplasmosis and rarer conditions also exist. Michigan has seen a concerning surge in cases over the last four years:
Lyme Disease: Cases jumped from 452 in 2020 to 1,215 in 2024 (a 168% increase).
Anaplasmosis: Cases rose from 17 in 2020 to 82 in 2024.
Lyme disease symptoms can range from mild, flu-like signs (fever, headache, fatigue, joint pain) to more severe issues if left untreated, including nerve pain, facial paralysis (like Bell’s palsy), vision loss, or heart problems, sometimes appearing weeks or months later. Anaplasmosis typically presents with flu-like symptoms that usually resolve within two weeks but can become severe or life-threatening in some cases without prompt antibiotic treatment. While rare in Michigan, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever is also potentially fatal if not treated early. A newer concern is alpha-gal syndrome, a rare meat allergy potentially linked to the bite of the lone star tick.
Protecting Yourself and Your Family: Beyond Mowing
Preventing tick bites is the most effective way to avoid tick-borne diseases. This requires a multi-layered approach:
Know Where Ticks Hide: Ticks thrive in grassy, brushy, and wooded areas. When hiking or spending time outdoors, stick to the center of trails and avoid walking through tall grass, brush, or leaf litter.
Cover Up: Wear long sleeves and pants, especially when in tick-prone areas. Tucking your pants into your socks or boots creates an extra barrier. Light-colored clothing makes spotting ticks easier.
Use Repellents Smartly:
Apply EPA-registered insect repellent containing DEET or Picaridin to exposed skin. These are effective against ticks. The EPA provides an online tool to help you find the right repellent.
Treat clothing, shoes, and gear with permethrin. Unlike skin repellents, permethrin is an insecticide that kills ticks on contact and remains effective through several washes. Important Safety Note: Permethrin is highly toxic to cats when wet. Keep cats away from treated items until they are completely dry.
Perform Daily Tick Checks: Make thorough tick checks a routine, especially after spending time outdoors, even just in your yard. Check yourself, your children, and pets. Common tick hiding spots include the scalp, behind the ears, neck, armpits, groin, and behind the knees. Some experts recommend incorporating checks into daily activities like showering.
Shower and Laundry: Showering as soon as possible after coming indoors (within two hours) can help wash off any ticks that haven’t yet attached. Washing clothes in hot water and drying them on high heat for at least 10 minutes can kill ticks clinging to fabric.
Use a Lint Roller: Before coming inside, quickly run a lint roller over clothing and pet fur to pick up any loose ticks.
Safeguarding Your Pets
Pets, particularly dogs and cats that go outdoors, are key carriers of ticks into the home.
Regular Checks: Check pets thoroughly after they’ve been outside, focusing on areas like ears, neck, legs, paws, and tail.
Veterinary Prevention: Consult your veterinarian about year-round tick prevention medications. Effective options include prescription oral chews (like Simparica Trio, Bravecto Chew) and topical treatments (like Bravecto Plus, Revolution Plus) or over-the-counter collars (like Seresto) and spot treatments (like K9 Advantix II, Frontline Plus). Your vet can recommend the best broad-spectrum product for your pet’s age, weight, and lifestyle.
If You Find an Attached Tick
Don’t panic. While timely removal is important, ticks typically need to be attached for at least 24-48 hours to transmit most diseases like Lyme. Use clean, fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skin’s surface as possible. Pull upward with steady, even pressure. Avoid twisting or jerking, which can leave mouthparts embedded (if this happens and they cannot be easily removed with tweezers, leave them alone and let the skin heal).
After removal, thoroughly clean the bite area and your hands with rubbing alcohol or soap and water. Dispose of the tick by putting it in alcohol, a sealed bag, wrapping it tightly in tape, or flushing it. Avoid crushing it with your fingers. Documenting the bite location and date can be helpful. The CDC offers resources like their Tick Bite Bot for guidance.
The decision to get a tick tested for pathogens is debated among experts. Some say it can cause unnecessary worry due to potential false positives, while others believe knowing what a tick carried can inform your doctor and guide early treatment, especially for potential co-infections.
If you develop symptoms like fever, rash (including a bull’s-eye rash characteristic of Lyme disease), headache, fatigue, or joint pain in the days or weeks following a tick bite, seek medical attention promptly.
Michigan’s Ticks
Several tick species are found in Michigan:
American Dog Tick: Less likely to carry diseases, but can transmit Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (rare in MI).
Blacklegged Tick (Deer Tick): The primary carrier of Lyme disease in Michigan. It can also rarely transmit anaplasmosis and other pathogens.
- Lone Star Tick: An aggressive biter that can carry ehrlichiosis, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, tularemia, and is associated with alpha-gal syndrome, although these are less common tick-borne issues in Michigan compared to Lyme.
- www.lansingstatejournal.com
- www.nytimes.com
- health.clevelandclinic.org
- www.nytimes.com
- www.nytimes.com
Notably, Michigan recently detected its first Asian Longhorned Tick in Berrien County. While posing a risk to various animals, this tick is a significant concern for livestock, especially cattle, and requires vigilance from owners.
While increased prevention is vital, nature offers some help. Animals like chickens, ducks, ground-feeding birds, frogs, lizards, wild turkeys, and opossums are natural predators that feed on ticks.
By staying informed and implementing these comprehensive prevention strategies, you can significantly reduce your risk and safely enjoy the outdoors, even as tick season intensifies in Michigan.
