Northern Ontario springs are short, but they wake up fast. By the first warm week of May, ticks are out — and the past several years have made it clear they're not just a "down south" problem anymore. We get questions about ticks every spring at the counter, so this week we wanted to put the answers in one place.
Where ticks actually live around here
The picture most of us have is of deep-bush hiking territory, but the truth is closer to home. Black-legged (deer) ticks — the species that carries Lyme disease — like:
- Tall grass and brushy edges — the transition zone between lawn and woods, fence lines, and ditches.
- Leaf litter — especially damp piles still sitting from last fall.
- Woodland trails — particularly the brush you brush past, not the open path itself.
- Yards with deer and mice traffic — if you're seeing tracks at the edge of your property, you may be hosting ticks too.
Ticks don't jump or fly. They sit at the tip of a grass blade with their front legs out (this is called questing) and grab on as you walk by.
Why we worry about them
Most tick bites in our area don't transmit anything — but the rate of Lyme disease in Northern Ontario has gone up notably over the last decade as the black-legged tick has expanded its range north. A black-legged tick generally needs to be attached for at least 24 hours to transmit Lyme, which is why early removal matters so much. There are also a handful of less common tick-borne illnesses (anaplasmosis, babesiosis, Manitouwadge virus) that we've seen referenced in our area more frequently in recent years.
Prevention is mostly clothing and repellent
Two things make a real difference:
- Cover skin in tick country. Long pants tucked into socks looks silly but works. Light-coloured clothes make ticks easier to spot before they find skin.
- Use a Health Canada–approved repellent. The two best-supported active ingredients are DEET (20-30% for adults) and icaridin (often labelled Picaridin, 20%). Icaridin is the newer one, doesn't damage plastics or fabrics like DEET can, and is generally well tolerated — we usually steer parents toward it for kids over six months.
And the simplest, most effective habit: do a tick check after every outdoor outing. Look behind knees, in the groin, under arms, behind ears, along the hairline, and on kids' scalps. Throwing your clothes in a hot dryer for 10 minutes kills any ticks hitching along.
If you find one attached: remove it correctly
This is the part where good information saves real grief. Skip the matches, Vaseline, and twisting motion — those old-time tricks can make the tick regurgitate into the bite, which is the opposite of what you want.
- Use fine-tipped tweezers. Grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible.
- Pull straight up with steady pressure. Don't twist or jerk.
- Clean the bite area and your hands with rubbing alcohol or soap and water.
- If you can, save the tick in a small container or sealed bag — identifying the species helps if symptoms appear later.
- Note the date you found it.
When to call us, and when to call a doctor
Most attached ticks — especially ones removed within 24 hours — don't lead to anything. But watch the bite area and how you feel for the next 30 days. Reasons to follow up:
- An expanding red rash (sometimes with a clearer centre, sometimes not — the classic "bull's-eye" is famous but not always present).
- Flu-like symptoms within a few weeks: fatigue, fever, headaches, achy joints.
- The tick was attached for more than 24-36 hours or was clearly engorged.
- You can't find a clear "head" left behind — sometimes mouthparts break off.
If a clinical assessment is needed, we'll point you in the right direction and help connect you with a prescriber when antibiotics are appropriate. Don't wait it out if a rash starts — early treatment is straightforward and very effective.
What we keep behind the counter
If you'd like to be set up for the season, drop in. We carry icaridin and DEET sprays in family-friendly concentrations, fine-tipped tick tweezers, after-bite cleansers, and over-the-counter products for soothing the bite area. We're also happy to talk through what makes sense for your specific situation — cottagers, dog owners, gardeners, and trail walkers all have slightly different needs.
Tick season is one of those things that's much less stressful when you're prepared. If you have questions — about a bite you found, whether a rash looks concerning, or which repellent is right for your kids — come in or give us a call. We'd rather have a two-minute conversation today than see you worried about it for two weeks.