Will Winter Weather Really Kill Ticks on Cape Cod?

As Cape Cod residents endure the bitter cold and copious snowfall our region has seen so far this winter, some may wonder what this winter will do to the region's unwanted inhabitants: ticks.

According to Cape Cod Cooperative Extension entomologist Escher Cattle, ticks remain a year‑round concern. They require ongoing vigilance and prevention rather than assuming that winter weather will fix the problem.

Cattle noted that snow acts as an insulating blanket, keeping ground temperatures near freezing and shielding ticks in leaf litter and soil. Adult deer ticks can remain active under snow. Ticks may produce antifreeze‑like compounds that help them survive freezing temperatures, increasing their winter survival. Only extreme, sustained cold temperatures significantly reduce tick activity. Snow and other factors can limit this effect.

Ticks can still transmit diseases such as Lyme, babesiosis, anaplasmosis, and Powassan virus when conditions allow them to re-emerge in the spring.

For questions about ticks, winter activity, or how to reduce one's risk on Cape Cod, email Cattle or visit www.capecod.gov/ticks for resources and prevention tips.