This summer feels different. In my own Massachusetts backyard, I’ve pulled more tiny Ixodes scapularis nymphs off my garden gloves than in any year since I began tracking them a decade ago. Data from the Fordham Tick Index corroborate this intuition, registering its highest “Extreme Risk” level across southern New York, Connecticut, and northern New Jersey during the first week of July 2025. Public-health departments from Maine down through Pennsylvania are flagging similar spikes, urging us not to panic but to prepare.

Below you’ll find an evidence-grounded, compassion-infused guide to staying safe, healthy, and joyfully outdoors during this record tick season.

Why are ticks surging right now?

Three converging forces are at play:

• Warmer, shorter winters. Milder cold snaps allow more black-legged ticks and their rodent hosts to survive—and to migrate farther north.
• Rebounding deer populations. White-tailed deer are a key reproductive host; suburban landscapes with fragmented woodlots create perfect “edge habitat.”
• Moisture + lush vegetation. This spring’s above-average rainfall produced tall grasses and leaf litter—ideal microclimates that keep tick nymphs from drying out.

Lyme disease refresher

Lyme disease is caused by the Borrelia burgdorferi bacterium transmitted through the bite of infected black-legged ticks. Early symptoms often resemble a summer cold—fatigue, low-grade fever, muscle aches—sometimes accompanied by the classic bull’s-eye rash. Untreated, the disease can progress to joint pain, neuropathy, or cardiac complications. The good news: when caught early, a standard course of doxycycline is highly effective.

Your Summer 2025 Prevention Toolkit

1. Dress smarter, not hotter

• Choose light-colored, tightly woven fabrics to spot hitchhikers quickly.
• Tuck shirts into pants and pants into socks—yes, it’s a look; no, it’s not optional this season.
• Launder clothes on high heat (or tumble-dry 10 min) as soon as you return indoors.

2. Repel & kill

• Apply an EPA-registered repellent containing DEET 20–30 %, picaridin, IR3535, or oil of lemon eucalyptus on exposed skin.
• Treat gear and outerwear with 0.5 % permethrin (never on bare skin). One treatment lasts about six wash cycles.

3. Create a tick-safe yard

• Keep grass < 3 in. tall; remove leaf piles and brush.
• Install a 3-foot gravel or wood-chip barrier between lawn and woods to reduce tick migration.
• Discourage deer by fencing vegetable beds and avoiding salt licks or open compost.

4. Perform mindful body checks

Every evening, use the “A.B.C.D.E.” routine I teach my patients:

• Arms & armpits
• Back of ears & hairline
• Crevices (belly-button, groin)
• Derrière & behind knees
• Everywhere else with a mirror or partner

5. Remove ticks safely

Use fine-tipped tweezers, grasp at the skin line, and pull straight upward. Cleanse with soap or alcohol and note the date in your phone journal.

Early-warning signs that merit a call to your clinician

• Expanding rash (bull’s-eye or uniformly red) appearing 3–30 days after a bite
• Flu-like symptoms at the height of summer
• Sharp migrating joint pains, facial droop, or unexplained palpitations weeks after exposure

Trust your body’s whispers; early evaluation prevents a chorus of complications.

Caring for body & mind

Heightened alerts can trigger anxiety, and I’ve heard from many patients who now dread their favorite trails. Remember: preparedness is empowerment. Pair prevention steps with grounding rituals—deep breath before stepping outside, gratitude for nature’s beauty, and a soothing herbal iced tea waiting when you return.

Final thoughts from my porch

The Northeast’s tick boom is real, but so is our collective resilience. With calm vigilance and science-backed habits, we can still picnic, garden, camp, and stargaze. Clip this guide to the fridge, share it with neighbors, and let’s keep our communities active—and Lyme-free—this spectacular summer.