Maine Experts Are Reporting Early Tick Activity. Here's What Homeowners Should Know.
If you've already found a tick crawling on your pant leg, attached to your dog, or worse, attached to you this spring, you're definitely not alone.
According to a recent report from WMTW, doctors and researchers across Maine are already seeing signs that 2026 could be another busy year for ticks. Following a record year for tick-borne illnesses in 2025, experts at the University of Maine Tick Lab say they don't expect tick activity to slow down anytime soon.
For homeowners across Central Maine and the Midcoast, that's worth paying attention to. After all, this is the time of year when we're finally getting back outside—working in the garden, heading to camp, walking the dog, and spending weekends around the yard.
Unfortunately, the ticks are ready for the season, too.
Didn't We Have A Cold Winter? Why Are Ticks Still A Problem?
Many Mainers hoped the colder temperatures and snowy winter would help knock down tick populations.
Not so fast.
According to Dr. Sean McCloy, who was interviewed by WMTW, the snowpack may have actually helped more ticks survive the winter. Snow acts like an insulating blanket, protecting ticks from extreme temperature swings and helping them survive until spring.
The University of Maine Tick Lab echoed that concern, noting that they don't expect the cold winter or cool start to spring to have a major impact on tick-borne disease numbers this year.
In other words, don't assume fewer ticks just because winter felt long.
Ticks Are Showing Up In More Places Than Ever
One of the most interesting points from the WMTW report is something many Maine homeowners have already noticed: ticks aren't just a woods problem anymore.
Years ago, most people associated deer ticks with hiking trails, hunting trips, and excursions into deep woods. Today, they're showing up in everyday places.
Researchers and healthcare providers are finding ticks in:
Residential neighborhoods
Backyards
Parks
Community walking trails
Gardens and landscaping beds
Areas around camps and cottages
As Dr. McCloy pointed out in the report, people can encounter deer ticks even while walking through developed areas of Portland. You don't necessarily need tall grass or a remote woodland setting to come into contact with a tick.
That's especially true throughout Central and Coastal Maine, where wooded property lines, ornamental plantings, and wildlife activity create ideal conditions for ticks to thrive.
Why Maine Homeowners Are Seeing So Many Ticks
The simple answer is that ticks are well-established throughout the state.
Deer, rodents, chipmunks, and other wildlife regularly move through residential properties, carrying ticks. Once ticks are established around a yard, they can spend much of their time waiting in vegetation for a host to pass by.
That's why homeowners often encounter ticks while doing completely normal activities like:
Mowing the lawn
Pulling weeds
Walking to the mailbox
Playing with the kids
Letting the dog out
Relaxing around the fire pit
Many people don't realize they're picking up ticks until hours later.
Lyme Disease Isn't The Only Concern
When people talk about ticks in Maine, Lyme disease usually dominates the conversation—and for good reason.
Maine continues to report some of the highest rates of Lyme disease in the country.
But Lyme disease isn't the only reason health experts encourage people to take tick prevention seriously. Deer ticks can also transmit other illnesses that can affect both adults and children.
That's why doctors continue to emphasize prevention and awareness, especially during the busiest months of tick season.
Enjoying The Outdoors Without Constantly Worrying About Ticks
Nobody wants to spend all summer avoiding their own backyard.
Whether you're grilling with friends, gardening, spending weekends at camp, or watching the kids play outside, you should be able to enjoy your outdoor spaces without constantly worrying about finding ticks on you, your loved ones, or your pets.
That's one reason many homeowners in Augusta, Camden, and Boothbay Harbor, as well as throughout Central and Coastal Maine, choose seasonal mosquito and tick control services. Reducing tick activity around the areas where your family spends the most time outdoors can help make your property more comfortable throughout the season.
At Advanced Pest Solutions, our mosquito and tick control program is designed specifically for Maine properties, targeting the areas where ticks commonly live and travel. The goal isn't just fewer pests—it's helping families spend more time enjoying their yards, camps, and outdoor spaces during Maine's short but beautiful warm-weather season.
After another winter that apparently didn't slow ticks down, that peace of mind may be more valuable than ever.
Contact Advanced Pest Solutions today to learn more about our mosquito and tick control services or request a free quote.