Compared to previous summers, 2026 is shaping up to be one of the worst tick seasons on record. Ticks carry diseases like Lyme, Rocky Mountain Spotted fever, Babesiosis, Alpha-Gal syndrome, and a dozen others. Compared to the 415 cases of Lyme disease reported in 2020, Ohio saw 2,830 cases of Lyme disease in 2025. That’s over a 600% increase in the last half-decade, an impressive ballooning.
The increase in cases of tick-borne illness is being blamed on the increased prevalence of ticks. Several reasons are behind the surge in tick population, and they fall into three major categories:
TRAVELING TICKS: Cattle and pets that cross borders are not necessarily inspected for the presence of stowaway parasites. Ticks can easily sneak from one country to another on imported livestock or even pets.
HUMAN HABITATION: As we expand our occupation of formerly green spaces, human construction takes over the lands where deer used to roam. As a result of this invasion, humans have more contact with deer and other woodland animals than ever before. It is not unusual for homeowners to spot deer snacking on their lawn or garden. This proximity increases the chances of tick transfer.
GLOBAL WARMING: Rising temperatures lead to milder winters, and any weather above freezing is fair game for ticks. And as the world’s climate veers toward warmer temps all over, tick migration patterns change as well; species that were once relegated to the southern hemisphere are now thriving much further north.
Regardless of the reasons, it appears that ticks and tick-borne illnesses are increasing from year to year. But hiding indoors is not the answer! To protect yourself and your family from tick bites, make sure that if you’re adventuring into grassy areas, use bug spray on your skin and your clothes, keep your pants tucked into your socks, and do a complete tick check upon returning home. For pets, inspecting their fur after a walk in the wilderness is the best practice. Exposed clothing should be laundered in hot water and dried fully on high heat to eliminate any remaining ticks. If you do find a tick, use the helpful guide provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) https://www.cdc.gov/ticks/after-a-tick-bite/index.html that helps you determine if your tick encounter requires a trip to the doctor’s office. Briefly, it outlines which ticks are most dangerous, advises how to properly remove a tick, and recommends when a tick bite requires a dose of prophylactic antibiotics. That last point can be reiterated here for clarity. A single dose of prescription oral Doxycycline is urged for Lyme disease prevention if (1) the tick is identified as an Ixodes scapularis variety, (2) the tick bite occurred in a region highly endemic for Lyme disease (the CDC has a map for this at https://www.cdc.gov/lyme/data-research/facts-stats/lyme-disease-case-map.html), (3) the tick was attached for >36 hours, and (4) antibiotics can be started within 72 hours of tick removal.
If you have found or removed a tick, or have questions regarding tick-related diseases, your health care provider is an excellent resource. Don’t let the fear of tick-borne illness keep you from enjoying the outdoors this summer! You can— and should— be safe and touch grass.
