Early health data suggest 2026 could be a nasty year for tick bites in Missouri and Illinois.
The tick season is getting longer, experts say, and people are starting to encounter more and different types of ticks in new parts of the country.
This year is on track to be one of the worst for tick-related emergency room visits in a decade, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
"We've been seeing milder winters, so ticks might not enter dormancy, that's going to lead to them emerging a little bit earlier in the year," said Emily Althoff, assistant professor of urban entomology at the University of Missouri. "We're also seeing new species arriving as the habitat becomes more suitable to species that historically lived in other ranges."
Ticks can transmit bacteria, viruses and parasites to humans, which can cause high-profile illnesses such as Lyme disease and alpha-gal syndrome.
The CDC's tick tracker shows that 136 people in the Midwest visited emergency departments for tick bites in April of this year. That's nearly double the number reported during the same month in 2025. Because tick activity usually spikes throughout the summer, that monthly number will likely increase as the federal agency collects more data.
Missouri, Illinois, Iowa and other Midwest states accounted for the second-most tick-related emergency department visits, behind just the Northeast, according to the CDC.
The increasing number of tick-related hospital visits could be indicative of people becoming more aware of tick-related diseases and dangers, Althoff said.
Either way, it's a good idea to know how to prevent tick bites and what to do if you find one on yourself or your pet.
When is the local tick season, anyway?
Althoff said it's getting more difficult to define a tick season.
While ticks were once associated with hotter months, the insects are now showing up earlier in the spring. The expanding season caught even her off guard.
"We're now seeing them in mid-March to early October, and I can attest to this, as I actually had a tick-borne illness in March of this year after camping that I had to get treated," she said.
American dog ticks, blacklegged ticks and lone star ticks can survive winters by burrowing under leaves and snow. They can even emerge on a warm winter day in January.
Bottom line: Unless you're in the middle of a blizzard, it's safe to assume ticks may be close.
How do I keep myself safe?
Outdoor experts repeat the same tips over and over because they work: Keep your skin covered with long pants, sleeves and socks and use a bug spray with DEET. If ticks can't get to your skin, they can't bite you.
Landscapers, through-hikers and others who spend a lot of time outdoors may want to consider using a treatment called Permethrin on their clothes and gear. It's a neurotoxin sold as a spray that remains effective for several wearings.
"There is a day where I went out to the prairie, and I forgot to treat my clothing with Permethrin the day before, and I picked 90 ticks off of my pants," Althoff said.
(Note: There's some evidence cats can be particularly sensitive to Permethrin. If you're spraying clothes, do it outside or somewhere away from your cat.)
Avoiding areas where ticks like to hang out can also reduce the risk of bites. Ticks like grassy, wooded areas, tall grasses and leaf litter. Removing brush, leaves and overgrowth from yards can keep them away.
Hikers and campers should stay on trails and away from heavily wooded areas.
Checking for ticks after an outdoor excursion is important. They like to nestle in armpits, groins and other areas with soft skin. Taking a shower soon after coming indoors may wash away ticks that haven't yet attached and provide an opportunity to do a full-body check.
Keep in mind that people can pick up a tick even when they aren't bushwacking through the forest – ticks can be found in yards, gardens and city parks.
What about my animals?
Ticks can also carry pathogens that make dogs, cats and other pets sick. And they can hitchhike on furry friends and hop on their owners.
Althoff said to check pets after coming inside. She got sick after getting a bite from a tick that came from her dog, Bucket.
Pay special attention to areas under collars, between toes, under the legs and around the ears and eyes. If you find a tick, remove it with tweezers.
Regular tick and flea prevention treatment can keep your pet safe.
"I would recommend making sure you're in contact with your veterinarian to ensure you have appropriate tick treatment for your pet," Althoff said. "If the tick bites your pet, then your pet has at least some form of defense for that."
She also said to consider fencing a yard or dog area if you live in an area where there are a lot of deer, because deer can carry certain types of ticks.
Eek! I got bit by a tick! What should I do?
Don't panic. According to the Cleveland Clinic, not all ticks carry disease.
First, remove the tick carefully with tweezers, grasping it as close to the skin as possible. Try not to twist or smush the tick. Then, wash the area thoroughly with soap and water.
Some experts recommend placing the tick in a plastic bag or taking a picture of it. If you want to dispose of it, wrap it in tape or douse it in alcohol to make sure it's dead. Make a note of where you think the tick came from. All this data could help doctors identify a potential illness if symptoms develop.
Then, check your body again. If you found one tick, there may be others.
After you remove the tick, monitor your health. Fevers, chills or rashes could be symptoms of ehrlichiosis, Lyme disease or other tick-borne illnesses.
The same goes for dogs and cats: If you've removed a tick from a pet, keep an eye out for lethargy, vomiting or fever.
The bite itself will likely itch, but an expanding red lesion or flu-like symptoms are signs to call a doctor.
The CDC discourages sending the tick away for testing, since it could lead to false confidence or panic - not all positive results mean a person will get sick, and not all negative results mean a person won't get sick.
According to the Johns Hopkins Medicine Lyme Disease Research Center, people who live in areas with high levels of Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses, including the upper Midwest and Northeast, can contact their doctor about whether preventative antibiotics are appropriate.
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