For many Canadians, tick season is synonymous with spring and early summer. From April through July, blacklegged ticks (deer ticks) are highly active, and businesses across Canada often see increased awareness around tick exposure, Lyme disease, and tick testing.

As temperatures rise in August, tick activity can appear to slow down, leading many people to assume that the threat has passed. But for businesses that work with people spending time outdoors, or those involved in healthcare, veterinary care, outdoor recreation, landscaping, property management, or tourism, this is an important misconception to address.

Adult blacklegged ticks have a second active season

Ticks don’t simply disappear after summer. October and November can bring another period of significant tick activity, specifically for the adult black legged ticks which are the primarily carriers of the Lyme disease pathogen.

As the intense heat of summer gives way to the cooler temperatures of fall, conditions can once again become favourable for adult black legged ticks. This is an important time of year because these ticks are actively searching for their final blood meal before winter.

Once temperatures drop and winter approaches, ticks can retreat into leaf litter and other sheltered areas, where they remain protected from the cold.

That means the period between the end of summer and the arrival of winter can be a critical window for tick exposure.

Why does this matter for businesses?

For business owners, the fall tick season represents more than just an environmental concern. It can be an opportunity to educate customers, employees, clients, and members of the community.

Businesses connected to outdoor activities should consider reminding their audiences that tick precautions shouldn’t end when summer does.

This is particularly relevant for:

• Veterinary clinics and pet-care businesses
• Healthcare practitioners
• Landscaping and property-maintenance companies
• Outdoor recreation businesses
• Campgrounds and tourism operators
• Hunting and fishing businesses
• Conservation and environmental organizations
• Employers with workers who spend time outdoors

A simple fall reminder about tick checks, protective clothing, and tick testing can help keep the issue top of mind when many people have already stopped thinking about ticks.

Don’t let the calendar create a false sense of security

One of the biggest challenges with ticks is that people often associate them exclusively with warm weather.

But the reality is more complicated.

The end of summer doesn’t necessarily mean the end of tick risk.

As Canadians head outdoors in October and November for hiking, hunting, walking, camping, yard work, and other fall activities, they may still encounter active ticks.

For businesses, this is an important message to communicate: tick awareness should be a year-round conversation, not something that ends when summer does.

Fall can be one of the last opportunities to take precautions before ticks settle in for the winter. And if a tick is found, knowing where to turn for reliable tick testing can provide valuable information about potential pathogen exposure.

The summer tick season may be winding down, but tick season isn’t necessarily over. Fall is another important time to stay vigilant.

This time of year, the most common tick you’re likely to encounter is the adult blacklegged tick. These ticks are vectors for a variety of serious pathogens, including:

• Borrelia burgdorferi (Lyme disease)
• Borrelia miyamotoi (tick-borne relapsing fever)
• Anaplasma phagocytophilum (anaplasmosis)
• Babesia microti and Babesia odocoilei (babesiosis)
• Powassan virus lineage II (Deer Tick Virus)

Given this nasty cohort of pathogens, it’s important to know how to protect yourself. So, without further ado, here are Geneticks’ top tips for staying safe from ticks as we move forward into the second peak season for ticks in October and November:

1. Learn to Recognize and Avoid Tick Habitats

Ticks thrive in cool, damp environments. Think shaded areas, leaf litter, and woodpiles where they climb up vegetation and wait for passing hosts. Being mindful of these habitats when outdoors can help you steer clear of tick encounters. When hiking, stick to the center of trails and avoid brushing up against vegetation.

2. Prevent Tick Bites

We believe the outdoors are meant to be enjoyed, but when you can’t avoid tick habitats, the next best step is preventing bites:

• Wear light-colored clothing that covers your limbs and extremities; it makes ticks easier to spot and harder for them to reach your skin.
• Consider wearing permethrin-treated clothing, which is highly effective at repelling ticks.
• Use insect repellents, especially those containing Icaridin (Picaridin), to reduce your risk of contact.
• When you get home, place your clothing in a hot dryer to kill any hidden hitchhikers.
• Take a shower and perform a full-body inspection to check for attached ticks.

3. Perform Frequent Tick Checks

No method is foolproof, so regular tick checks are essential. Check yourself (and your companions) thoroughly, especially in hard-to-see areas. Key spots include:

• Ankles
• Backs of knees
• Groin
• Armpits
• Behind the ears
• Hairline
• Back and neck

4. Safely Remove Any Attached Ticks

If you find an attached tick, stay calm. Prompt removal is important, but it must be done properly. Never squeeze, burn, or douse the tick in alcohol while it’s still attached, as this can increase the risk of pathogen transmission.

Instead, use fine-tipped or needle-nose tweezers and follow these steps:

a. Grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible.
b. Carefully pull upward with steady, even pressure, avoiding twisting or squeezing the body.
c. Wash the area with soap and water, then apply an antiseptic.
d. Check to ensure no tick parts remain embedded in the skin.

5. Consult a Medical Professional or Have the Tick Tested

If you’ve removed a tick, it’s important to consult a healthcare provider or submit the tick for testing to check for pathogens like those that cause Lyme disease:
🔗 Submit a Tick for Testing

While the risk of transmission increases with time, there is no confirmed minimum attachment time for transmission, so every tick bite should be taken seriously.

Risk maps, such as those on our website:
🔗 Tick Testing Statistics. These maps can help assess regional risk but cannot confirm whether an individual tick is infected. Keep in mind: migratory animals can carry infected ticks from high-risk to low-risk areas!