Lone Star Ticks on the Increase in Wisconsin

Saturday, July 25th, 2026 -- 8:23 AM

(Wisconsin Radio Network) -The Wisconsin Department of Health Services warns of an increase in invasive ticks that cause serious illnesses.

D H S reports an increase in Lone Star ticks this year. The agency has a service where residents can send in ticks to get them identified and so far this year 33 Lone Star ticks have been submitted. There were only six in all of 2025. Lone Star ticks can carry a parasite that causes an allergy to red meat called alpha-gal syndrome.

The Department of Natural Resources says Wisconsin winters are still too cold to allow Lone Star ticks to reproduce successfully here.

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