As June settles in, Manitobans are heading outdoors to enjoy long-awaited summer sun, but they may not be alone. This month marks the height of tick activity, especially their riskiest life stage: the nearly invisible nymph. Barely the size of a poppy seed, these immature ticks are easy to miss and can leave a lasting impact.
Kateryn Rochon, associate professor of veterinary entomology at the University of Manitoba, has studied ticks for nearly 20 years and warns that this is the most important time to stay vigilant.
“The season with the greatest risk to human health is when those nymphs are active, and that's usually in June,” Rochon says. “The nymphs are small and easy to miss if you're not paying attention,” Rochon adds.
Unlike adult ticks, which are easier to spot and remove, nymphs are stealthy and still fully capable of transmitting diseases, making daily tick checks and early removal critical.
More than just a nuisance
Manitoba is home to several tick species, but only two are typically encountered: the American dog tick, commonly called the 'wood tick', and the blacklegged tick, also known as the 'deer tick.'
“They are not as abundant as the American dog tick, but they're definitely around,” she notes. “The concern that arises with black legged ticks is that they are the ones that can transmit quite a wide range of pathogens to humans and other animals, including Lyme disease."
In addition to Lyme, blacklegged ticks in Manitoba have been found carrying other serious diseases, including anaplasmosis, babesiosis, and Powassan virus.
These critters can be identified by their darker colouring and lack of the white or silver markings seen on wood ticks. Females are typically the size of a flax seed, featuring an orange-toned body and a dark “necklace” pattern near the mouth. Males are smaller and uniformly dark, about the size of a sesame seed.
“Ticks are fascinating. They're old creatures and they're very well adapted to their environment,” she says.
A Manitoba mindset
Decades of co-existing with wood ticks have shaped a more relaxed attitude in Manitoba. In places like southern Quebec or Nova Scotia, where ticks are a newer concern, people tend to be more cautious. Here, they are often brushed off as just another part of summer.
“In Manitoba, many people grew up with ticks and see them as annoying or inconvenient because American dog ticks are not as associated with diseases. When they get a tick bite, they don't think about it much, but sometimes those ticks are black legged ticks. And there can be consequences,” she continues.
This casual approach may put people at greater risk of disease, especially if they don’t take steps to check for ticks or identify the type that bit them.
The case for daily checks
Prevention doesn’t have to mean avoiding the outdoors. Rochon encourages people to keep enjoying summer, just with more awareness.
“You can't prevent ticks from being out there, but you can be proactive in adopting behaviors that will reduce the likelihood of a bite,” Rochon says.
The key, she says, is establishing a daily routine.
“When you come back inside, it's a good habit to take your clothes off, inspect your body, and then take a shower. Washing will remove any nymphs that you might have missed during your check. Also, putting your clothes in the dryer on hot for at least 10 to 15 minutes will kill any ticks that you haven't seen,” she advises.
Tick-proofing your backyard
Reducing tick-friendly spaces around your home is another key step. Ticks thrive in cool, shaded, and humid environments. To make your yard less appealing to them, consider cutting your grass short, choosing drought-tolerant plants, and adding gravel or rocks around garden beds.
“If you want to keep ticks out of your yard, keep things dry with a lot of sunshine and light. Ticks are going to be where there's higher humidity because they don't drink from puddles, they get their moisture from the air,” she adds.
For added protection, use repellents containing DEET or picaridin, especially on the lower legs and waist, where ticks often latch on first.
Awareness without alarm
If you do find a tick and aren’t sure what kind it is, there’s help. Rochon recommends using etick.ca, a resource that allows people to upload photos for expert identification.
“If the tick is found in Manitoba, that request comes to my lab, and my team identifies it. We will identify as much as possible within 24 hours, and if you take a decent photo, we can tell you whether it is a black legged tick or not,” she adds.
With a little awareness and a few good habits, Manitobans can enjoy the outdoors safely, even during peak tick season.
“We're not going to win against ticks, they will always be in the environment. It's our responsibility to protect ourselves, and if you get a tick bite, you need to know what to do about it."
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