Tick Season on Long Island Has Shifted — Here's What Every Homeowner Needs to Know in 2026

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Tick Season Is Starting Earlier on Long Island

If you live on Long Island, you've probably noticed that ticks seem to be getting worse every year — and you're not imagining it. According to the New York State Department of Health, Suffolk County has consistently ranked among the top counties in New York for Lyme disease cases, and the trend is accelerating.

A warmer-than-average winter in 2025-2026 pushed deer tick activity forward by nearly three weeks compared to historical averages. That means ticks that would normally become active in late April are now emerging in early April — or even late March.

Why This Matters for Your Family

Deer ticks (Ixodes scapularis) are the primary carriers of Lyme disease, babesiosis, and anaplasmosis on Long Island. Unlike dog ticks, deer ticks are tiny — nymphs are the size of a poppy seed — and their bites are painless, meaning you often don't know you've been bitten until symptoms appear.

The CDC estimates that a tick needs to be attached for 36-48 hours to transmit Lyme disease. This is why daily tick checks are so critical during the active season.

The Long Island Tick Hotspots

Not every yard on Long Island carries equal risk. Properties that border wooded areas, have leaf litter along fence lines, or are located near deer trails are significantly more likely to have tick populations. Some of the highest-risk areas include:

• North Shore communities with wooded lots (Cold Spring Harbor, Oyster Bay, Northport)
• Central Suffolk near preserved land (Brookhaven, Yaphank, Manorville)
• East End towns with heavy deer populations (East Hampton, Shelter Island, Montauk)
• Any property adjacent to parks, nature preserves, or undeveloped land

5 Steps to Protect Your Family This Season

1. Start perimeter treatments early. Don't wait until May. If the ground temperature is above 45°F, ticks are active. An early-season granular treatment along your property borders creates a buffer zone.
2. Clear leaf litter and brush piles. Ticks thrive in moist, shaded debris. Raking leaves away from play areas and patios removes their habitat.
3. Create a gravel or mulch barrier. A 3-foot-wide strip of wood chips or gravel between your lawn and wooded areas acts as a natural deterrent.
4. Daily tick checks after outdoor time. Check behind ears, along the hairline, armpits, waistband, and behind the knees. Shower within 2 hours of coming indoors.
5. Schedule professional perimeter treatments. Professional-grade applications target the areas where ticks live and breed — the edges of your property, shaded borders, and transition zones between lawn and woods.

When to Start Treatment

The short answer: now. If you haven't started tick treatment for the 2026 season, you're already behind. Ticks are active whenever temperatures are above 40°F, and on Long Island that means most of the year except the coldest weeks of January and February.

Most effective tick control programs run from March through November, with regular treatments throughout peak season (April through September).