Early Data Shows a Slight Increase in Tick Activity this Year

Wednesday, June 11th, 2025 -- 9:00 AM

(Anna Marie Yanny, Wisconsin Public Radio) Early data from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services shows a slight increase in tick activity compared to the past few years.

According to Anna Marie Yanny with the Wisconsin Public Radio, the department collects and tracks tick populations outdoors each spring, along with tick bite-related emergency department visits.

“Those two things combined are right now signaling that tick activity is a little bit higher than it was in previous years,” said Rebecca Osborn, a vectorborne disease epidemiologist with the department. “We’re going to continue to monitor that as the season goes on.”

Recent years have also been high, Osborn added. “Unfortunately, our state is just one where the tick population is booming and every year is a bad year,” Osborn said. Over the past 30 years, deer ticks, the blacklegged tick species that carries Lyme disease, have spread throughout the state.

“Anyone, unfortunately, in the state, can be at risk for a tick bite from a tick that can spread disease,” Osborn said. “But we see a lot more cases of Lyme disease and other tick borne illnesses in the northern parts of the state.”

Reported cases of Lyme disease have risen over time across the nation and in Wisconsin. The state had 6,379 cases in 2023, according to DHS data. There are a few reasons for the increase, including improved reporting, an expanding tick population and more people recreating in tick habitat, Osborn said.

It’s important to be aware of other tick-borne illnesses as well, she added. The department hears of over 1,000 cases in Wisconsin each year. “If you feel like you’ve gotten sick from a tick bite…and it’s during this time of year when you could be in contact with a tick, it’s really good to talk to your health care provider,” she said.

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