Ward, NY

Nymphs are questing, the highest-risk stage for people. Nymphal deer ticks peak in late spring and summer. They're the size of a poppy seed, easy to miss, and cause most Lyme transmission.

Ward is 97% natural land cover (83% forest, plus open and brushy areas) across its 29.18 sq mi, home to about 330 people. That makes it the 8th-most wooded of the 30 towns in Allegany County. Deer ticks live in wooded areas, along trail edges, and in tall grass — the more of that a town has, the more places ticks can quest.

Allegany County reports about 315 Lyme cases per 100,000 people a year, the 39th-highest of 210 Northeast counties. That county-level disease pressure, combined with Ward's local habitat, sets how high its daily score can climb when the weather and season allow.

Yes. Nymphs are questing, the highest-risk stage for people. In Ward, today's risk reads high (68/100). Conditions strongly favor tick activity. Cover up, use repellent, and check carefully, including kids and pets.