Ticks are tiny bugs and most commonly found in damp, grassy, brushy, or wooded areas, including your own backyard. Certain kinds of ticks can bite and make you sick with diseases such as Lyme disease and Powassan virus. Alpha-gal syndrome, an allergic condition also known as the “red meat allergy,” is an emerging condition in Massachusetts due to the northward expansion of lone star tick populations. You can learn more about different types of ticks at the Massachusetts Department of Public Health’s web page on Tick-borne disease prevention. Both the state and the Cambridge Health Department track and monitor local tick-bite diseases.
While you can be bitten by a tick any time of the year, many people get tick bites in the warmer months when they are doing more outdoor activities such as hiking. Ticks only attach when you come into direct contact with them — they cannot jump or fly.
Tick Bite Prevention
You can protect yourself from tick-borne diseases by avoiding tick bites. See below for tick-bite prevention tips.
- Check yourself for ticks once a day. Remember to check your children and pets, too. Checking is the single most important thing you can do! See images below for doing a tick check on people and pets.
- Use repellents and always follow the directions on the label. Never use repellents on infants. Repellents that contain DEET can be used on your exposed skin. Permethrin is a product that can be used on your clothes. Learn more about tick repellents on the state’s website.
- Wear light-colored clothing to be able to see ticks more easily. When it’s not too hot outside, tuck shirts into pants and pants into socks to cover gaps in your clothing where ticks can get in.
- Don’t spend a lot of time in potentially tick-infested habitats such as tall grass and shrubs.
- Shower soon after being outdoors. Showering may help wash off unattached ticks and it is a good opportunity to do a tick check.
- Stick to main pathways and the center of trails when hiking.
- Pets that spend time outdoors are exposed to ticks, too, and may bring ticks back inside. Talk to your veterinarian about the best ways to protect your animals from ticks and tick-borne disease.
- For more information on how to protect yourself, see the Massachusetts Department of Public Health’s tick-borne disease prevention web page.
Tick Removal
- If you find a tick, don’t panic.
- Use tweezers and grab as close to the skin as possible, pulling directly upwards without twisting. This ensures the tick is completely removed to prevent infection. The CDC has more information on how to remove a tick. See illustration below.
- Talk to your doctor if you (or a loved one) develop a rash where you were bitten or experience symptoms such as fever, headache, fatigue, or sore and aching muscles.
Updated: April 21, 2026