Ticks in North Carolina

North Carolina tick questions

Are there ticks in North Carolina?

Yes. North Carolina has ticks in every county, led by the lone star tick, with the American dog tick, Gulf Coast tick, brown dog tick, and deer tick also present. Ticks here stay active nearly year-round, and today 49 of the state's 663 towns are at moderate or high tick risk on TickZone's daily score.

What types of ticks live in North Carolina?

North Carolina has five human-biting ticks: the lone star tick (established statewide, the state's most common human-biting tick and the main cause of alpha-gal syndrome), the Gulf Coast tick (not established), the American dog tick, the brown dog tick, and the deer tick (blacklegged tick), which carries Lyme disease but bites people far less often this far south. See the North Carolina tick identification chart for photos and how to tell them apart.

When does tick season start and end in North Carolina?

In North Carolina, ticks are active nearly year-round: the region rarely gets a hard freeze long enough to fully shut them down. The lone star tick ramps up earliest in spring, peaks in midsummer, and its larval "seed tick" swarms hit hardest in late summer. Adult ticks can still quest on mild winter days.

When is flea and tick season?

Flea and tick season generally runs from early spring through late fall, peaking in the warm summer months. In North Carolina, start prevention for pets and people in March and keep it up through November, since ticks can bite on any mild day.

Which tick carries Lyme disease in North Carolina?

The deer tick, also called the blacklegged tick, is the tick that spreads Lyme disease, but it is a minor factor in North Carolina. The lone star tick does not carry Lyme, but its bite causes alpha-gal syndrome, and it bites people far more often here than the deer tick does.

Does North Carolina have lone star ticks that cause alpha-gal syndrome?

Yes. The lone star tick is established across North Carolina and is the tick most responsible for human bites in the state. Its bite can trigger alpha-gal syndrome, a delayed allergy to red meat and other mammal products, along with ehrlichiosis and STARI.