Did 2026 tick season start? It could be the worst yet. What it means for Kentucky

Marina Johnson and Mary Walrath-Holdridge, Louisville Courier JournalMon, May 11, 2026 at 3:47 PM UTC

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Federal data and experts indicate that this year's tick season may be one of the worst on record.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Tick Bite Data Tracker, which uses real‑time emergency room surveillance, shows weekly tick‑bite ER visits are higher than historic averages in every U.S. region except the South Central states, with the Northeast recording the highest levels so far in 2026.

The Southeast, which includes Kentucky, also saw an increase in emergency department visits compared to last year. April visits reached 50 in 2026, up from 39 in 2025.

During the fourth week of April, about 114 out of every 100,000 emergency department visits nationwide were for tick bites, the highest rate for this point in the year since at least 2017, the CDC said. Nationally, the agency estimates about 31 million people are bitten by ticks each year, and roughly 476,000 Americans are treated annually for Lyme disease, the most common tick‑borne illness.

"Tick season is here and these tiny biters can make you seriously sick," Dr. Alison Hinckley, epidemiologist and Lyme disease expert with CDC’s Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, told USA TODAY. "That means ticks are out and people are getting bitten, so now is the time for people to take steps to protect themselves and their loved ones."

While the CDC only tracks ER visits related to tick bites (not tick bites or the presence of ticks overall), the increase in these visits indicates that multiple factors, including weather, normal year-to-year variation in tick survival and expansion of tick populations into new geographic areas, could result in one of the most prolific tick-bite seasons in recent memory. However, we won’t know how this year overall will compare to other years until the season is over, said Hinckley.

Here's what to know about tick season in 2026.

This year's tick season could shape up to be one of the worst on record, according to federal data and experts.Is tick season starting earlier in 2026?

Tick season was once relegated to warmer summer months. That's no longer the case, according to Dr. Jim Fredericks, chief entomologist with the National Pest Management Association.

"As we see this trend over time of these milder winters and kind of shorter shoulder seasons - this spring, it feels like it just goes from winter to summer," he said. "This allows for a greater proportion of tick populations to survive the winter, even in places where there has been snow cover."

Warmer weather arriving earlier and lasting longer, paired with relatively balmy winter temperatures, has enabled pests to proliferate almost year-round in some areas. And that layer of snow you might expect to kill them off? It serves as more of a cozy blanket.

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"Ticks actually do better when there's more snow rather than less snow because a snowpack is insulating for them," added Dr. Kathryn Reif, Bailey-Goodwin endowed associate professor of parasitology at the College of Veterinary Medicine at Auburn University. "They're kind of down in that dead layer of plant material where they're all snuggly warm."

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Tick-borne disease to be prevalent in Kentucky this year

Lyme disease is often the focus when it comes to tick-borne illness, but experts have noted that the pests are carrying more disease-causing organisms further than previously recorded.

The Companion Animal Parasite Council predicts a further spread of Lyme disease in 2026.

Ehrlichiosis, anaplasmosis, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, babesiosis, tularemia and tick paralysis are among other diseases of note that can spread to humans and pets.

Lyme, ehrlichiosis (disease caused by the Ehrlichia family of bacteria) and anaplasmosis (caused by Anaplasma phagocytophilum bacteria) are especially prevalent in dogs and their owners, said Reif. Their prevalence is also expected to expand in 2026, according to the Companion Animal Parasite Council, which forecasts the prevalence of certain diseases affecting dogs across the United States with more than 94% accuracy.

The latter two illnesses generally cause flu-like symptoms in the early stages; however, if untreated, they can lead to respiratory and organ failure, excessive bleeding, damage to the central nervous system and death, according to the CDC. Lyme is more complex and varied and can cause symptoms ranging from fever and rash to facial paralysis, an irregular heartbeat and even arthritis.

The Companion Animal Parasite Council forecast map predicts the spread of tick-borne disease with up to 94% accuracy, according to previous models.

"We have the traditional hot spots where these tick-borne diseases are most common. And as years go on, these zones never really contract. They only continue to expand," Reif said. "These are definitely diseases on the move."

In Kentucky, the expected prevalence of Lyme disease varies depending on the region. Eastern parts of the state are expected to see higher rates than the western parts. Ehrlichiosis is also likely to impact the commonwealth, and low rates of anaplasmosis are also possible.

How to stay safe from tick bites in the commonwealth

The Kentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife recommends the following:

Wear long pants and long sleeves. Tuck your pants into socks to keep ticks away from your skin.

Use repellents with DEET, picaridin, or oil of citronella.

Treat clothes and gear with permethrin, but don’t apply directly to skin.

Be cautious in tick habitat.

Check your body for ticks after time outdoors.

Check pets for ticks and use tick prevention medicine.

Remove ticks promptly.

Contributing: Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA TODAY.Reach Marina Johnson at Marina.Johnson@courier-journal.com.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Tick season 2026 could be the worst yet in Kentucky

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