As tick warnings become urgent, homeowners must take charge against ticks marching into new territory now. As cooler regions experience milder winters, they are becoming more hospitable to tick species, Ben Hottel, an Atlantic-based entomologist with Orkin, told Fox News Digital. He added that “another reason for the spread of ticks is the expansion of human developments into wildlife habitats, which helps ticks more easily find human hosts.”
Modern society should not rely on government to swoop in—individual responsibility matters. Hottel stressed, “Awareness is the first step in protecting yourself from tick‑borne illness.” Yetrib Hathout, professor at Binghamton University, warned that “Deer ticks are active any time it’s over 39 degrees,” extending risk periods well into fall and early spring. He noted that pathogens like “Rickettsia species that causes spotted fever, are migrating up north.”
This shift poses a public health challenge outside traditional endemic zones. Experts recommend wearing long clothing, using repellents, and conducting thorough body checks after outdoor activity. Identify species like blacklegged ticks carrying Lyme disease, lone star ticks causing alpha‑gal allergy, and dog ticks linked to Rocky Mountain spotted fever.
Experts say local communities should encourage education and free-market solutions—like tick‑screening labs—to fill gaps left by bureaucratic inertia. As Hathout said, “tick surveillance and tick screening for other things are important.” Action at the grassroots level can curb threats without heavy-handed mandates.
