Spotlight Outdoors Ticks are especially bad right now. How to stay safe Mary Walrath-Holdridge USA Today May 23, 2026 May 23, 2026 Updated Jul 22, 2026 0 Prefer us on Google Learn More Facebook Twitter Bluesky WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Tick season is ramping up faster than it has in years — and sending more Americans to the emergency room.kAm%9:D 42? 36 D66? :? 52E2 7C@> E96 r6?E6CD 7@C s:D62D6 r@?EC@= 2?5 !C6G6?E:@?VD %:4< q:E6 s2E2 %C24<6C[ H9:49 EC24<D E:4< 3:E6\C6=2E65 6>6C86?4J C@@> G:D:ED 24C@DD E96 4@F?ECJ]k^AmkAm(66<=J ?F>36CD 2C6 =2C86 7@C E9:D E:>6 @7 J62C[ 244@C5:?8 E@ E96 52E2[ H:E9 23@FE ``c @FE @7 6G6CJ `__[___ 6>6C86?4J 56A2CE>6?E G:D:ED ?2E:@?H:56 2EEC:3FE65 E@ E:4< 3:E6D 5FC:?8 E96 =2DE H66< @7 pAC:=] %9:D :D E96 9:896DE C2E6 D:?46 2E =62DE a_`f[ E96 rsr D2:5]k^Am kAm(:E9 >@C6 E:4<D 2?5 >@C6 3:E6D 4@>6D 2 9:896C C:D< @7 :==?6DD[ DF49 2D {J>6 5:D62D6[ 6IA6CED H2C?]k^Am People are also reading… Additional details released in crash that killed two young adults Nebraska football has clean bill of health for four key starters Lincoln man accused of sexually assaulting woman behind movie theater A 6 a.m. call, a 7:30 commitment: Averi Bridges details her pledge to Penn State Callaway man is arrested for possession of stolen firearm, meth in Grand Island Nebraska football representatives announced for Big Ten Media Days Crete Chief of Police Gary Young dies after decades of service Recent real estate transactions in the Lincoln area Big Ten Media Days: Lincoln Riley praises Mike Ekeler, Matt Campbell embraces Penn State 'Big pile of blood': Witness describes scene after accidental shooting outside Scheels In Eric Bieniemy crisis, Andy Reid can offer more than most Former Nebraska lineman Teddy Prochazka embracing 'Coach P' role for Elkhorn South frosh Former Nebraska tight end announces medical retirement from the NFL Nebraska volleyball star unsure of future after this season Bergen Reilly says team chemistry is good but Nebraska volleyball has 'something to prove' kAmw6C6VD H92E J@F ?665 E@ <?@H E@ DE2J D276ik^Amk9amz?@H E96 C:D<D k^9am A female deer tick Provided by Scott Bauer, U.S. Department of Agriculture kAmtIA6CED H2C? @7 E9C66 4@>>@? >:D4@?46AE:@?D E92E 4@F=5 :?4C62D6 J@FC E:4< C:D< E9:D J62Ci D62D@?2=:EJ[ =@42E:@? 2?5 6IA@DFC6[ 6DA64:2==J A6E 6IA@DFC6]k^Am kAm%96 :562 E92E QE:4< D62D@?Q :D C6=682E65 E@ 2 76H D9@CE DF>>6C >@?E9D :D @FE52E65 — >62?:?8 J@F 2?5 J@FC A6ED ?665 E@ 36 AC@E64E65 J62C\C@F?5[ ?@E ;FDE H96? 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H:E9 4=@E9:?8 2?5 AC@A6C 7@@EH62C]k^=:mk=:m#6>@G6 4=@E9:?8 2?5 5@ 2 E:4< 4964< 2D D@@? 2D J@F C6EFC? 9@>6]k^=:mk^F=m Centers for Disease Control and Prevension k2D:56 4=2DDlQE?4>D\:?=:?6\C6=4@?E6?E E?4>D\:?=:?6\C6=4@?E6?E\:?7@Qmk9cmw@H E@ C6>@G6 2 E:4<k^9cmkAm`X vC2DA E96 E:4< 2D 4=@D6 E@ E96 D<:?VD DFC7246 2D A@DD:3=6 FD:?8 4=62?[ 7:?6\E:AA65 EH66K6CD]k^Am kAmaX !F== E:4< 2H2J 7C@> E96 D<:? H:E9 DE625J[ 6G6? AC6DDFC6] s@?VE EH:DE @C ;6C< E96 E:4<]k^Am kAmbX s:DA@D6 @7 E96 =:G6 E:4< 3J A=24:?8 :E :? 2 D62=65 4@?E2:?6C[ HC2AA:?8 :E E:89E=J :? E2A6 2?5 7=FD9:?8 :E 5@H? E96 E@:=6E @C AFEE:?8 :E :? 2=4@9@=]k^Am kAmcX p7E6C C6>@G:?8 E96 E:4<[ E9@C@F89=J 4=62? E96 3:E6 2C62 2?5 J@FC 92?5D H:E9 D@2A 2?5 H2E6C[ CF33:?8 2=4@9@= @C 92?5 D2?:E:K6C]k^Am kAm— r6?E6CD 7@C s:D62D6 r@?EC@= 2?5 !C6G6?E:@?k^Amk^2D:56m k9amw@H E@ 4964< J@FC 3@5J 7@C E:4<Dk^9amkAm(9:=6 E:4<D 42? 2EE249 E@ 2?J 6IA@D65 D<:?[ E96JVC6 @7E6? 7@F?5 ?6DE=65 :? H2C>6C[ >@C6 9:556? 2C62D @7 E96 3@5J] %96 rsr DF886DED A2J:?8 6IEC2 2EE6?E:@? E@ E96 7@==@H:?8 2C62D H96? 4964<:?8 7@C E:4<Dik^AmkF=mk=:mx? 2?5 2C@F?5 E96 92:C]k^=:mk=:mpC@F?5 2?5 :? E96 62CD]k^=:mk=:m%96 324<]k^=:mk=:m&?56C2C>D]k^=:mk=:m(2:DE=:?6]k^=:mk=:mq6==J 3FEE@?]k^=:mk=:mq6EH66? E96 =68D 2?5 :? E96 8C@:? 2C62]k^=:mk=:mq6==J 3FEE@?]k^=:mk=:m{68D 2?5 369:?5 E96 <?66D]k^=:mk=:mq69:?5 @C 36EH66? E96 E@6D]k^=:mk^F=m The American dog tick DENNY SIMMONS, USA Today Network k9amw@H E@ 4964< J@FC A6ED 7@C E:4<Dk^9am kAm~FC A6ED 42? 42CCJ F?H2?E65 9:E499:<6CD 3FC:65 :? E96:C 7FC 2?5 @E96C 92C5\E@\C6249 A=246D] *@F D9@F=5 4964< J@FC A6EVD 6?E:C6 3@5J 7@C E:4<D 27E6C @FE5@@C E:>6 2?5 52:=J 2D A2CE @7 2 DE2?52C5 C@FE:?6] k^AmkAmQW%96X =@?86C E92E E:4< :D @? 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E@ 86E @? 2 >@?E9=J E:4< 2?5 7=62 AC@E64E:@?[Q D2:5 sC] r2D6J {@4<=62C[ G6E6C:?2C:2? 2?5 A2C2D:E:4:56 =625 2E t=2?4@ p?:>2= w62=E9] Qx7 J@FVC6 :? 2 {J>6 6?56>:4 2C62[ E2=< E@ J@FC G6E6C:?2C:2? 23@FE 86EE:?8 J@FC 5@8 G244:?2E65 7@C {J>6 5:D62D6] p?5 36 G:8:=2?E[ 5@ J@FC 52:=J E:4< 4964<]Qk^Am Wellness In one small Minnesota city, less than half of kindergartners are vaccinated for measles Kim Hyatt, Yuqing Liu The Minnesota Star Tribune Wellness PCOS renamed PMOS in global overhaul of women’s health term Anthony Thompson USA Today Wellness COVID-19, pandemic trauma and why the hantavirus anxiety is hitting us so hard ALYSSA GOLDBERG USA Today 0 Comments Build your health & fitness knowledge Sign up here to get the latest health & fitness updates in your inbox every week! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Related to this story Is it normal to talk to yourself? What it could really mean Here's why we talk to ourselves and when to know it's going too far. Tick season is getting longer. So is the list of states trying to keep up This summer, the U.S. is seeing more people bitten by ticks, with hospital visits going up.
Wellness In one small Minnesota city, less than half of kindergartners are vaccinated for measles Kim Hyatt, Yuqing Liu The Minnesota Star Tribune
Wellness COVID-19, pandemic trauma and why the hantavirus anxiety is hitting us so hard ALYSSA GOLDBERG USA Today
Is it normal to talk to yourself? What it could really mean Here's why we talk to ourselves and when to know it's going too far.
Tick season is getting longer. So is the list of states trying to keep up This summer, the U.S. is seeing more people bitten by ticks, with hospital visits going up.
