More & More Ticks Are Being Found In NYC–Here’s How To Keep Yourself Safe

With lanternflies, West Nile-carrying mosquitos, and this invasive plant that can actually alter human DNA, there are definitely some downsides to a summer in NYC (and don’t even get us started on the heat).

And if all the above wasn’t enough to keep an eye out for, now we have another thing to keep on our radar: ticks.

Sure, they’re nothing new, but this summer they’re reportedly being found more than normal in NYC. As reported by Gothamist, Columbia University researchers have found that ticks are spreading–and carrying diseases with them–around new areas of NYC, infesting the city’s parks as they go.

So, here’s everything you need to know about ticks to keep yourself safe:

Which types of ticks are found in NYC?

According to NYC Health, the following types of ticks can be found in NYC:

• Blacklegged ticks (deer ticks) – about the size of a sesame seed and can spread Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, and babesiosis (found in Staten Island and the north Bronx)
• Lone star ticks – about the size of a pea and can spread ehrlichiosis. They have also been linked with alpha-gal syndrome (found in Staten Island and sometimes the north Bronx)
• American dog ticks – a little larger than the size of a pea and can spread Rocky Mountain spotted fever (found in all five boroughs)
• Asian longhorned ticks – have not been found to spread diseases in the U.S. (found in Staten Island and the Bronx)

Which NYC borough is most infected with ticks?

According to Columbia University’s NYC Ticks research project, the most tick-infested NYC borough is Staten Island due to its large deer population.

However, Professor Maria Diuk-Wasser, the project’s lead investigator, says that since Staten Island has gotten its deer population under control its tick population has decreased.

The kicker: those ticks have now made their appearance in other NYC boroughs that were, until now, thought to be relatively tick-free. And this is only expected to continue as warming global temperatures allow ticks to linger year-round.

Do NYC parks have ticks?

Diuk-Wasser stated, “We’re finding more and more [ticks in NYC]. The ticks continue to expand.”

Gothamist writes that 80% of Brooklyn and Queens parks were reported to have blacklegged ticks in 2023, which was a dramatic increase compared to the 40% in 2022. About 70% of NYC parks surveyed so far this year were found to have disease-carrying ticks.

Ticks have been found in various NYC parks including Prospect Park, Forest Park, various Bronx parks, and Alley Pond Park, which is one of Queens’ most infested parks.

How likely is it to get bit by a tick in NYC?

NYC Health writes that “most NYC residents diagnosed with a tick-borne disease are infected when visiting grassy, wooded areas in upstate New York, Long Island, and surrounding states.”

However, several types of ticks have been found in NYC–some of which have tested positive for the germs that cause Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases. Therefore, while it’s not as likely you’ll get bit by a tick in NYC compared to other places, it is possible.

When are ticks most active?

Ticks are most active in spring, summer, and fall.

Where are ticks usually found?

Ticks can be found in cooler areas where trees, brush, leaf litter, and tall grasses provide cover and shade from the sun. Ticks avoid heat and direct sunlight.

You can click here for a map from the CDC that shows where blacklegged ticks with select pathogens have been found.

What attracts ticks to humans?

Ticks are attracted to the heat and carbon dioxide that warm-blooded mammals, including humans, give off. Ticks are also drawn to movement and vibrations.

How can I prevent tick bites?

The good news is not all ticks carry disease and not all people bitten by a tick will get sick. However, in order to prevent tick bites New Yorkers (and everyone, for that matter) are urged to follow these tips:

Clothing:

• Wear light-colored clothing
• Tuck pants into socks and shirts into pants
• Tie hair up or wear a hat
• Wear gloves when gardening
• Use hot water when washing clothing to kill ticks
• Place dry clothing in a dryer on high heat for 10 minutes to kill ticks

Pets:

• Ask your vet which flea and tick repellents are best to use on your pet
• If you think your dog may have been bitten by a tick and you see changes in your dog’s behavior or appetite, speak with your veterinarian (dogs can also get sick from ticks)

In your yard:

• Keep grass short and don’t let piles of brush or leaves build up
• Trim shrubs and tree branches around your yard to let in more sunlight
• Keep playground equipment and outdoor furniture in a sunny location, away from yard edges and trees
• Don’t leave out food that attracts deer and other wildlife
• Consider hiring a pest management professional

Repellent:

• Use insect repellent that contains DEET, picaridin, or IR3535
• Permethrin products can be used on clothing or shoes (but not the skin) to kill ticks

A video on Tick Repellent Information can be found below:

How do I check for ticks?

You should always check for ticks on yourself, children, and pets when returning indoors from potential tick-infested areas. Look for ticks in:

• All joint areas
• The belly button
• Behind ears and knees
• Between the legs
• Around the waist
• In the hairline
• In other skin folds

How do I remove a tick?

If a tick is crawling around on you, remove it and flush it down the toilet or put it in alcohol, a sealed bag/container, or wrap it tightly in tape before throwing it in the trash.

If the tick is attached (or stuck) on your skin, follow these steps:

• Using pointed-tip tweezers, grab the tick at the point where it is closest to the skin (the head). Do not grab the body of the tick as that can cause the mouth parts to break off and remain in the skin, leading to an infection
• Gently pull up on the tick with slow, even pressure to ease out the mouth parts
• Do not handle the tick with bare hands
• Do not squash or squeeze the tick
• After removing the tick, wash your hands and whatever parts of your skin the tick touched with soap and water or rubbing alcohol
• Contact your health care provider immediately if you develop fever, aches and pains, or a rash

What are the signs and symptoms of tick-borne diseases?

It’s very important that you see your health care provider if you develop any of the following symptoms:

Lyme disease

• One or more rashes that expand and look like a bull’s-eye (this rash is different from normal redness around a tick bite)
• Fever, tiredness, headache, and muscle or joint pain
• Neurological and heart problems and arthritis can develop

Babesiosis, anaplasmosis and ehrlichiosis:

• Fever, chills, headache, muscle aches, and tiredness

Rocky Mountain spotted fever:

• Fever, chills, severe headache, muscle pain, and rash on palms and soles of feet that spreads to body
• Can result in death if not treated early with the right antibiotic

How prevalent is Lyme Disease in NYC?

NYC’s health department reports that the yearly number of Lyme disease cases has steadily risen.

There were 215 cases of Lyme disease in NYC in 2000, compared to 704 cases in 2020. In 2021 there were 820 identified patients with Lyme disease in NYC and 2,018 cases in 2022.