Lower Swatara Township, PA

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.

Lower Swatara Township is 64% natural land cover (39% forest, plus open and brushy areas) across its 12.3 sq mi, home to about 9,797 people. That makes it the 32nd-most wooded of the 40 towns in Dauphin 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.

Dauphin County reports about 70 Lyme cases per 100,000 people a year, the 167th-highest of 210 Northeast counties. That county-level disease pressure, combined with Lower Swatara Township'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 Lower Swatara Township, today's risk reads moderate (34/100). Ticks are active. Use repellent, stick to trails, and do a tick check when you come inside.