Wet weather this spring — and two years ago — could lead to an increase in ticks in Colorado, though the Front Range will get a break from them during the heat of summer.
Ticks live for multiple years and benefited from wetter conditions in 2023 and 2025, said Kristen Richmann, spokeswoman for the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.
The state health department has a program that accepts ticks people send in, allowing a rough picture of where different species are living.
“This increased moisture creates great conditions for ticks,” she said.
Parts of the northeast are also seeing more ticks than usual. Experts attributed that to oak trees producing a larger-than-expected number of acorns, which allowed larger numbers of deer and other animals that ticks prey on to survive.
With shorter, warmer winters in recent years, the season when ticks bite is lengthening. They’ve also been able to move into habitats that previously were too cold.
The species of ticks in Colorado don’t like the summer heat and start to go into a dormant state when temperatures are in the high 80s, said Lisa Mason, a horticulture specialist and entomologist at Colorado State University’s extension office in Arapahoe County.
For the Front Range, that means spring and fall are the times to worry most about ticks, though they can stay active through summer at higher elevations, she said.
“They stay in sheltered, cool spaces in the environment,” she said.
The tick species in Colorado don’t carry Lyme disease, but they can spread at least five other infections: Colorado tick fever, Q fever, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, tickborne relapsing fever and tularemia.
All appear relatively rare; the state reported between seven and 30 combined cases each year since 2016. They may be underdiagnosed, though, because mild cases can resemble the flu.
To reduce the odds of getting ticks — which burrow their heads into skin — avoid heavy vegetation and tall grass, Mason said. Wear long pants and long sleeves when spending time in nature, and use insect repellent on exposed skin. Applying permethrin to clothes can also ward off bugs.
After getting home, check people and pets for ticks. The species common in Colorado typically choose three hosts of increasing size as they grow, so they could come inside on a dog, drop off and then reattach to a human, Mason said.
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Someone who finds a tick could either bring it to their local extension office or take a photo to help with identification, Mason said. Regardless of the type of tick, though, seeking medical care if you develop a fever, body aches or a rash afterward is a good idea, she said.
And above all, resist the urge to crush the little bloodsucker, which would release any bacteria it carries.
“You certainly don’t want to squish it if it’s bitten you,” she said.
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