What are ticks?

Ticks are insects that have 8 legs and feed on the blood of other animals. They have 4 different life stages in their life cycle that include the egg, larva, nymph, and adult stages. In order for a tick to move on to the next life stage they need to have a blood meal. Ticks will usually feed for 3 to 7 days. When a tick is able to have its first meal it will usually attach to a small mammal such as a mouse. This is when it will typically pick up parasites, viruses, or bacteria. When it moves to the next victim it can spread different diseases. Only the nymphs and adult female ticks can spread diseases to other animals. 

Ticks Found in Wisconsin

In Wisconsin, there are three types of ticks that can spread disease to people:

Deer Tick	Wood Tick	Lone Star Tick

Nearly all illnesses spread by ticks in Wisconsin are caused by the deer tick.

Ticks usually live in wooded areas with tall grasses. They find a host by waiting on grass or leaves and when a person or animal brushes by they will attach to their prey. Ticks to not jump or fly. Ticks like warmer temperatures and humid weather. 

Diseases Found in Wisconsin

There are several illnesses that can be spread by ticks in Wisconsin: 

• Lyme disease

• Anaplasmosis

• Ehrlichiosis

• Babesiosis

• Spotted Fever Rickettsiosis

• Powassan Virus

• Borrelia miyamotoi

• Tularemia

Tick Bite Prevention

Ticks need to be attached for at least 24 to 36 hours in order to spread diseases. In order to prevent this here are a few things that you can do to prevent tick bites:

• Use repellent on skin and clothing
• Wear lightly colored clothing, long sleeves, pants, and tall socks. Tuck shirts into pants and pants into socks
• Walk in the center of trails and avoid wooded and brushy areas with tall grass or leaf litter
•  Always check for ticks after being outdoors and wash clothing in high heat for at least 10 minutes.

Resources

Ticks in Wisconsin: What You Need to Know 

Tick Bite Prevention: Fight the Bite

Wisconsin Department of Health Services Lyme Disease Webpage

CDC Lyme Disease Webpage

EPA: Insect Repellants

IDSA Lyme Disease Guidelines

Questions and Resources

Do you have questions about our Environmental Health Program in Sheboygan County? 
Contact us at (920) 459-3207 or email at environmental.health@sheboygancounty.com.

3/12/2025

Free viewers are required for some of the attached documents.
They can be downloaded by clicking on the icons below.

Acrobat Reader Windows Media Player Word Viewer Excel Viewer PowerPoint Viewer