Community Corner

Experts: More Ticks, Including Newcomer Lone Star, In Suffolk

But there are plenty of ways to keep yourself safe.

Written by Lisa Finn.

With tick season is in full swing in Suffolk County — some experts are seeing as many as five times more ticks around the area than last year.

Recently, an uptick in the lone star tick – named for the white dot on the back of the adult female – has been documented, said Dan Gilrein, extension entomologist for Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County.

Find out what's happening in Sachemwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

“The Lone star tick has become more abundant on eastern Long Island and has been expanding its range westward,” he said. “It is a fairly recent newcomer here, first documented from Montauk in 1971, then Fire Island in 1988.  It is common around Riverhead now;  I don't recall seeing it here even 10 years ago.”

Gilrein said while Cornell is not doing any regular monitoring of tick populations, “numbers seem to be up, based upon inquiries received. Lone stars are especially abundant.”

Find out what's happening in Sachemwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Pathogens that cause Lyme disease are carried by the deer tick, which also carries pathogens for diseases including babesiosis and anaplasmosis. Lone star ticks are associated with erlichiosis, another flu-like illness; the American dog tick is tied to Rocky Mountain spotted fever.

Important to know, Gilrein said, is that ticks have different life stages and the nymphs of lone star and deer ticks are currently present. “Lone star larvae are also abundant in some areas and are often mistaken for 'chiggers' which we do not have on Long Island, despite all reports to the contrary,” he said. “Chiggers are a springtime pest in the south where they occur and lone star tick larvae, which are the first stage hatched from the egg, are present starting around late June or early July into September. They are very irritating biters and often feed around the ankles or lower legs. They can move up and sometimes people will have bites around the waist just below the belt. These larvae are not believed able to transmit disease but the bites can be numerous and very itchy for a long period.”

Lone star adults were out earlier in spring; a few may still be present, Gilrein added. Deer tick adults are active in very early to mid-spring and again in late fall, and are not present now.

Contrary to common belief, deer ticks are not common in tall grass or on shubs, but instead, are found primarily in shaded sites such as woods or woodland edges and may be found in shaded landscape sites. “They do not like sunny, open fields. I have found them common in wooded areas with only a groundcover of dead leaves,” Gilrein added. “The Lone star tick, however, is common in both wooded and sunny, open sites. They are not only associated with grass but I have also found them common in areas with nearly bare ground.”

The tick population, Gilrein said, is “directly correlated” to the deer population, using other wildlife, humans, and some domestic animals as hosts. “The high deer population largely explains why our tick levels tend to be so high,” Gilrein said.

Cornell experts suggest in order to protect themselves, repellents do work if used properly, but may need to be reapplied periodically, especially if conditions are wet.

Those active outdoors in tick-infested areas should also check themselves closely for ticks at the end of the day and talk with their personal physician if bitten and concerned about possible disease transmission. The Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County Horticulture Diagnostic Labs can identify tick specimens for a small fee.

Pets owners should consult their veterinarian, Gilrein said.

As for deer fencing, Gilrein said while it does control tick levels over time it “is usually not practical. We found the 4-Poster device, a type of deer bait station that controls ticks as they feed, does dramatically reduce tick populations over a two to three year period, as has demonstrated after use on Shelter Island and at Brookhaven National Lab. “But is also expensive to operate, particularly now with very high corn bait prices, and it not available to homeowners on individual properties, “ he said.

“Prevention is the key,” said Scott Campbell, PhD, Director of the Suffolk County arthropod-borne disease lab. “Use repellents as directed, check yourself and your children for ticks daily,  and remember that it is very important to remove ticks as soon possible since they must be attached for approximately 24 to 36 hours to transfer pathogens to humans while feeding.  It is also important to keep pets away from tick-infested areas and check pets before letting them  into the house.”

Other Tick Prevention Tips

  • Wear light-colored clothing
  • Wear long pants and sleeves
  • Tuck your pants into your socks
  • Tuck your shirt into your pants
  • Use repellents as directed
  • Walk along the center of trails
  • Conduct frequent clothing checks
  • Once home, dry clothing on the highest temperature setting for 10 minutes to kill any ticks.
  • Carefully inspect your body for ticks
  • Keep pets from tick infested areas and check them before entering the house.

Suggestions for Homeowners

Ticks do not jump, fly, or fall from trees. They crawl close to the ground on leaves, brush and tall grass. Homeowners should:

  • Keep lawn mowed and bushes trimmed;
  • Remove lawn debris and leaf litter;
  • Discourage rodents by reducing nesting sites (e.g. wood piles or holes in stone walls) or food sources (e.g. bird seed);
  • Move lawn furniture and children’s toys away from the yard edges where ticks are more likely to be found.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here