The start to summer means peak tick season. The warming temperatures, rising humidity and vibrant greenery are ideal conditions for the tiny arachnids. And Northwest Philadelphia has lots of gardens and woodlands for the critters to reside in.

Data shows they are more active than usual this year. In late April, the weekly rates of tick bite-related emergency department visits were the highest they had been since 2017 for many parts of the country, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Tick Bite tracker. The Pennsylvania Department of Health warned in late April that emergency visits for tick bites are increasing.

Nicole Chinnici, director of the Pennsylvania Tick Research Lab based at East Stroudsburg University, said the snowy weather this past winter likely played a role in these numbers. The snow acts as an insulating blanket for ticks and allows them to extract the moisture from cover to help them survive.

“One of the things that ticks don’t survive well in is really dry, hot environments, or really deep cold, dry environments, so anything in between with a lot of moisture allows ticks to survive,” Chinnici said.

She added that tick season began to peak a little earlier this year at around April, when temperatures reached over 90 degrees.

Philadelphia is currently in the peak season for nymph blacklegged tick, Chinnici said. Nymphs are about the size of a poppy seed and reach the adult stage in the fall. The blacklegged (or deer) tick is one of the most common species in Pennsylvania and transmits Lyme disease and other illnesses.

Tick populations spread by attaching themselves onto wildlife, she said.

Another tick-related concern that’s been making headlines is the emergence of alpha-gal syndrome (AGS), an allergic reaction to red meat that someone can have after they are bitten by a lone star tick. The lone star tick, a species where adult females have a single white spot on their backs, can carry several diseases. The blacklegged tick also has also been linked to some cases of alpha-gal syndrome. Symptoms can range from mild hives or stomach upset to serious allergic reactions.

Ticks spread the condition to people during a bite by transferring a sugar molecule called alpha gal, which is found in certain types of meat, like beef and pork. Some people become hypersensitive or allergic to the sugar after the bite.

“When you’re bitten by a tick, your body reacts to that tick and builds up an immune response,” Chinnici said. “And then ultimately, when you eat red meat, you get this mimicry reaction. And your body responds to it, thinking it’s possibly a tick, but you’re just consuming red meat. And that’s what results in that allergic reaction.”

The first documented death from alpha-gal syndrome occurred last year, when a New Jersey man experienced fatal anaphylaxis after eating a hamburger. It’s extremely rare for anaphylaxis to result in death; it has a mortality rate of less than one death per million people per year

Lone star ticks are still uncommon in Pennsylvania, but they have been found in several areas, Eli Steiker-Ginzberg, a public information officer for the Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH), told the Local in an email. The species was first found in Philadelphia in 2020.

Chinnici said the number of submissions for lone star ticks to the lab has stabilized. They are mostly reported from southern and southeastern parts of the state, she said.

Since AGS isn’t a reportable disease in Pennsylvania, the Department of Health relies on voluntary lab reports to understand how common it is. The DOH has recorded 600 positive tests over the past two years from reports. So far in 2026, Pennsylvania has 60 positive cases, seven of which are in Philadelphia County and six in Montgomery County.

“Not everyone with a positive test has symptoms of alpha gal syndrome, but these voluntary reports help the Pennsylvania Department of Health understand how often alpha gal is being detected and whether that number is changing,” Steiker-Ginzberg said.

State health officials also reported a rise in anaplasmosis, a disease transmitted by deer ticks. Anaplasmosis cases first emerged in Pennsylvania around two decades ago, and they have doubled nearly every year for the past five years, according to the Department of Health’s April 2026 advisory. The state has found ticks carrying the illness in every Pennsylvania county. There were more than 1,000 reported anaplasmosis cases in the state in 2024, according to DOH.

People usually develop flu-like symptoms within 1-2 weeks after being bitten. The effects can be severe for people with late treatment, other medical conditions or who are older that 65. Like alpha-gal syndrome, it can be fatal in rare cases. People should see a doctor if they get sick after being bitten by a tick, according to the CDC.

Landscaping tips

Chris Marshall, an arborist and a district manager at The Davey Tree Expert Company in North Philadelphia, said homeowners can make landscaping changes to reduce the spread of these pests.

Ticks will be most prevalent in areas with taller brush, shade and moisture, specifically places that harbor rodents and small mammals that serve as hosts for ticks. This includes leaf piles, brush and stone walls.

“They’re going to be good areas to harbor rodents, small mammals, and sometimes even deer. And that’s where ticks are going to thrive,” he said.

He recommended growing plants that are open and more opportunistic for better airflow, ones that are less likely to harbor tick hosts. Pruning trees to let in more sun and air to dry out shady spots is another option.

Another tactic is installing barriers of mulch and gravel around areas people hang out the most, such as paths, the foundation of the house and patio. These materials create a hot, dry surface that ticks avoid, Marshall said.

Brush and debris, like leaf piles and tall grasses, make good habitats for pollinators, but they also harbor ticks. People should remove leaves in places they hang out often and from areas their pets tend to roam as a precaution.

Entomologist Doug Tallamy and the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation are encouraging people to avoid using pesticides to combat ticks and mosquitoes, as some products can harm pollinators like bees and fireflies. In a study published by the CDC, researchers used tick boxes to attract small animals and brush them with insecticide, a method that aims to kill ticks through the hosts. The 2022 report confirmed it reduced tick sightings in neighborhoods.

People who come across tick-infested areas both in and outside their yards should wear long sleeves and pants, as well as put the socks over the top of the pants. Experts also suggest using insect repellents containing DEET, spraying Permethrin on clothes, drying clothes in high heat, and doing a tick check on oneself and pets after being outdoors.