What if we told you that one of the most reported infectious diseases in Maine was spread by the bite of an infected deer tick? Would you be surprised? Probably not as the deer tick and Lyme disease have become almost synonymous with one another, especially in the last decade. But what is Lyme disease and is it really anything residents of Litchfield, Manchester, or any other Maine community should be aware of? As May is Lyme Disease Awareness Month, we thought now would be a great time to answer these questions.

It’s a fact that Maine has a high rate of tick-borne diseases. Since ticks are extremely active right now in Portland, Cumberland, and Gorham as well as throughout Southern Maine, it is imperative that residents use caution when spending time outdoors and take measures to reduce their risk of encountering these biting pests as much as possible. Not sure what that looks like? That’s okay, where here to help by offering simple, yet effective tick prevention tips.

Lyme disease, an infection caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi and spread by infected deer ticks, has been a serious problem here in Maine for several years and reached a record high of over 2,000 reported cases in 2019. Despite the 2020 dip in numbers which according to the Press Herald, a reluctance to seek medical care during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic and dry weather last summer resulted in a significant decline of diagnosed Lyme disease cases in Maine in 2020, ticks remain a serious threat to Maine residents.

We realize it may seem a bit early to be talking about ticks since there’s still snow in the forecast for parts of Maine this weekend but make no mistake, ticks are already active! What’s more, the National Pest Management Association (NPMA), in their Spring & Summer 2021 Bug Barometer press release last month, noted that there would be an increase in tick activity in New England this coming summer thanks in part to a warm, wet spring and a summer forecast that is expected to be mild and wet. With that in mind, let’s turn our attention to the types of ticks that are most active in Maine.