Ticks Down, Mosquitoes Up

If you’ve managed to get on the trails super early or super late in the day during this heat wave, it’s no news that mosquitoes are VERY active right now in this heat. The good news is that the tick activity decreases dramatically.

Check out this excerpt from an amazing online public health newsletter Your Local Epidemiologist. Started during COVID, this factual data-driven email newsletter (or substack) covers what you need to know (including another of today’s pieces on cyclospora). It is well worth your subscription to the email/substack (and donation if you are able).

Excerpt from Your Local Epidemiologist newsletter, July 14, 2026

Katelyn Jetelina and Marissa Donnelly, PhD

“Ticks are backing off

We’re well on our way down for tick season. Activity tends to drop off as we move deeper into the heat of summer.

Source: CDC; Annotated by Hannah Totte at Your Local Epidemiologist

Why? Ticks are prone to drying out, so in peak summer heat they retreat into moist, shaded leaf litter rather than questing (climbing grass to grab a host), which reduces host-seeking activity even if the tick population hasn’t shrunk. This dip also lines up with the tick life cycle: nymphs, responsible for most Lyme transmission, peak in late spring/early summer, then quiet down in the hottest weather before adults pick back up in fall.

Mosquitoes taking over

As ticks recede, mosquitoes take over and with them, the rare diseases they can carry. The most common one in the U.S. is West Nile.

Peak mosquito season is still about a month out, but the CDC is already flagging an unusually early surge in West Nile virus (WNV) activity this year. They have flagged 48 cases across 23 states detecting the virus, which is more than five times the historical average for this point in the season.

Source: CDC. Annotated by Hannah Totte at Your Local Epidemiologist

What this means for you: Most people infected with WNV never even know it because ~80% have no symptoms. But older adults and those who are immunocompromised can develop serious neurological illness. Start being consistent with using an EPA-registered repellent (with DEET or picaridin), dumping standing water around your home, and using screens at dusk and dawn.

Your Local Epidemiologist (YLE) comprises a team of experts, ranging from physicians to immunologists to epidemiologists to nutritionists, working together with one goal: to “translate” ever-evolving public health science so that people are well-equipped to make evidence-based decisions. The YLE suite of newsletters reaches over 475,000 people across more than 132 countries. This newsletter is free to everyone, thanks to the generous support of fellow YLE community members.” 

Stay cool and safe out there and see you on the trails.

Yawn...The Ticks Are Awakening

Longtime blog readers expect my frequent posts in late winter warning of muddy trails during freeze/thaw cycles - and alternative "firm trail" hiking suggestions.

And most of you know that hot on the heels of the last winter snows and March's warming temps, I will be sharing my annual alerts on tick re-activation in the woods and fields. 

Along with the robins, grackles and cries of migrating waterfowl, the time of ticks is once more upon us. When temperatures hit the 40s, ticks can become active. They will remain active from now until consistent freezing temperatures return in fall. 

In the Driftless area, it is the blacklegged deer tick that is of most concern. It's bite can transmit Lyme's disease as well as anaplasmosis.  What makes this early spring warming so critical is that not just adults are active, but their nymphs are too - and those little buggers are sneakily small. 

A. Nymph    B. Adult male     C. Adult female
Image/Text - Ohio Department of Health

This isn't to say we shouldn't get out hiking/bushwhacking in woods and fields as they firm up. Instead, it's to remind of us to exercise some common sense precautions for tick-free fun on trails.

When I gear up for spring trail hikes, there are a couple of things that help keep me worry free and tickless:

Pre-hike:

• Pre-treat hiking clothes and gear with Premethrin which typically lasts for 6 weeks or 6 washes before application needs to be renewed
• Use insect repellants with DEET or picaridin on exposed skin
• Choose lightcolored hiking clothes/gear so that ticks can be more easily seen.
• Spray boots and tuck pants legs into boots OR wear knee-high or ankle-high tick gaiters pre-treated with Premethrin
• Consider investing in chemical-free Rynoskin, light nylon long sleeve shirt/leggings gathered at wrists, waist and ankles (learned this tip from a Canadian paddler who did lots of spring paddling - and its a keeper)

Post-hike:

• Toss hiking clothes in the dryer for 10 minutes on high. If clothes need to be washed, do them in hot water
• Shower/bathe asap once off the trail to more easily wash off ticks
• Use mirror to do a full body check if returning from ticky areas. Areas to be especially mindful of: hair, behind the knees, between legs, on and around ears, under arms, around the waist
• Remeber in spring, the nymphs are impossibly small so really be aware as you do body/clothes checks
• Check gear and boots to make sure ticks haven't hitchad a ride

I typically head out on 50-60 March-May spring hikes with plenty of bushwhacking (any fungi, flower or fern screams at me to leave the trail and come closer) and have had no problems with ticks over the last five years that I've been doing the above routines. 

For more tips on way to prevent tick bites on the trail, on pets and around the outside of your home, check out this brief but excellent brochure from the Ohio Department of Public Health on being tick-smart.

An ounce of prevention and some careful investment can make the difference in spring hiking enjoyment.

See you on the trails!

Not tick bait!
Off-trail amidst the wildflowers
in Rynoskin and knee-high tick gaiters

You can read my quarterly column on seasonal hiking suggestions in Inspire(d) Driftless Magazine available online or pick up a free copy at businesses and organizations around the Driftless areas of Minnesota, Wisconsin and Iowa.

Gearing Up for Spring Ephemeral Season - Part 2

Wild Lupine

In Part 1 of this two part series, I shared some of my very favorite spring ephemeral hikes. 

Now it's time to dig a little deeper into gear and strategies to stay tick-free, to make sure you don't carry invasives seeds in or out of hiking areas as you wander as well as what ephemerals to look for the season progresses. 

Insect Protection
Once temps hit the 40's, ticks become active. So now is definitely the time to protect yourself, especially if you do off-trail hiking through any kind of grass or brush. And, of course, gnats, chiggers, biting flies and mosquitoes are in our hiking future as well. Here are a few suggestions to use to minimize your exposure to insect - and especially tick - bites:

• Wear light colored clothing (easier to find ticks on them)

• Tuck pants into socks

• Spray boots and pants legs with a Picaridin or DEET-containing insect repellent

• After hikes, toss your hiking clothes into the dryer on high for a 10 minute spin (it kills the little beasties)

• Check your body carefully for any tick action post-hike

• Shower/wash hair (usually it takes from 24-36 hours after a tick attaches. A good scrub helps to dislodge them)

• Consider spraying a set of "hiking clothes" with Permethrin Spray

• If you do a lot of off-trailing like me, consider investing in a set of Rynoskin protection underclothes (shirt, pants, socks) or Premethrin -infused InsectShield gaiters. I own both a short and tall pair of gaiters depending on how high the grasses/brush are. They are rugged and not particularly hot.

• If biting bugs like flies, gnats and mosquitoes love your face and head, consider buying a head net. The newer versions aren't too annoying or hot.

Invasives

Boot brush

You will see any number of invasives in the woods during your spring hikes. If there is a boot brush at the trailhead, be sure to use it to avoid carrying seeds in and out. 

You can also stop the spread of invasives by taking a few minutes at the end of each hike to use a hoof pick to clean out dirt and seeds from the bottom of your boots. One end has a sturdy metal pick that can clean out the lugs on your sole. On the other side of that is a set of stiff bristles that brush the rest of the dirt and seeds away. You can find these online for under $4 each. Mine are still going strong after three years.

Ephemerals to Look for

The following broad list is a suggestion of months and ephemerals you may find. Mother Nature has her own rhythm. If spring is early or late, it will effect how soon you will see your first of any wildflower variety. Have fun!

March

Pasque flowers
Skunk cabbage

Spring Beauty

April
Birdsfoot violet

Bloodroot
Bristly buttercup
Common violet
Dutchman’s breeches
False rue anemone
Garlic mustard (invasive) - For control measures, stop here for WI DNR recomendations; for control measures in MN, stop here for MN DNR recommendations
Hepatica
Mayapple
Rue anemone
Spring beauty
Ramps
Wild ginger

Fringed Puccoon

May
Bastard toadflax
Bluebell
Bellwort
Columbine
Cutleaf toothwort
Downy yellow violet
False Solomon’s seal
Fiddleheads, emerging
Fringed puccoon
Hoary Puccoon
Indian paintbrush
Jack-in-the-Pulpit
Littleleaf buttercup
Jacob’s ladder
Marsh marigold
Miterwort
Prairie blue-eyed grass
Prairie ragwort
Pussytoes
Shooting star
Showy Orchis
Tall meadow rue
Tall thimbleweed
Trillium
Trout lily
Two leaf miterwort
Wild geranium
Yellow star-grass

Leonard's Skullcap

June
Blue-bead lily
Hoary verbena
Leafy verbena

Leonard's Skullcap
Mountain death camus
Pale spike lobelia
Wild lupine

This two post series is based on a talk I gave to the La Crosse area Natural Arts Garden Club on March 25, 2025. A big thanks go out to them for the invite and the delightful evening spent sharing this information.

• Gearing Up for Spring - Part 1

Images, unless noted - Marge Loch-Wouters

I Spy on the Trails - November 2024

Hoar frost
on the forest floor

It felt like a tropical heat wave during the first half of this month with decidedly un-November-like weather. My coldest morning hikes started in the high 30s and most days I hiked in warmish 40s and 50s temps. We had some fog, some sun, some rain and an actual snowfall on November 20 (lots, lots earlier than in recent years!). We ended in the 30s (with a nip of 20s at the last) this past week, a much more seasonal temp.

As I hoped, the temps were still cool enough and the leafless trees bare enough to make for some of my favorite fall hiking. Clear views, no sweat and no bugs! Well, low bugs. Like last year, the unseasonably warm temps at month’s beginning kept ticks active. With my Premethrin-sprayed clothes, Rynoskin and 10-minutes-in-the-dryer routine, I was comfortable and tick-free. But really?!?!  

A view of the Mississippi in Iowa
Image -Kris Lawson

The hunting seasons in MN and WI kept me hopping in the tri-state area and revisiting favorite trails and parks from state-to-state. A lot of these trails, with their stunning geology and expansive river views, I save especially for the snowless late fall/early winter hikes.

I find November hiking beautiful, full of surprises and prime hiking time. Last year I made some observations and they remain just as true. This year, my eyes were again dazzled by flashes of green, incredible rock formations, migratory birds and vistas that went on forever.

Here are a few of my favorite sights over the November weeks. 

Tundra swans and ducks finally arrived
in great numbers in November's last week

Great rocks in fog and, on another day, in sun
at Levis Trow Mounds 

Post-warm rain forest floor

A lovely log full of turkey-tail fungi

Now let's start thinking and wishing hard for some crispy cold and luscious snow to play in!

What are YOU noticing on your hikes?

A month of hikes:

Hikes below in bold color or underlined have links to previous posts OR descriptions/location of the trails found online

Levis Trow Mounds, Black River Falls WI (2); Iowisota Retreat Center bluff trails, Lansing IA; Lytle’s Landing, Brice Prairie WI; Camel Hump trails, Onalaska WI; Goose Island County Park, La Crosse WI; Reno Quarry, Brownsville MN; Fish Farm Mounds, Lansing IA (2);  Red Oak Road Dike and Lookout, Harper's Ferry IA; Yellow River Forest, Luster Heights Unit, Harper's Ferry IA

At Yellow River Forest Luster Heights
North Overlook
Image -Kris Lawson

The "I Spy on the Trails" column is a phenology (the study of seasonal changes in plants and animals) journal to chronicle year-round the weather, plant life and wildlife I observe while hiking. It is very useful in helping me compare observations from year-to-year. The column is published monthly from September through April and then twice-a-month from May through August when warm weather brings the natural world back to vibrant life.   

Images, unless noted - Marge Loch-Wouters

I Spy on the Trails - March 1-15, 2024

The past two weeks have been notable for increasing bird song and migration. Red-winged blackbirds and at least one bluebird returned and joined in the early morning mating and territory calls. Swans, ducks, pelicans, eagles and gulls have been seen in great numbers in the Mississippi River backwaters. Migration is in full swing

Silver hairs on stem of Pasque flower

One of the earliest blooming wildflowers, the Pasque flower, made its appearance during the second week of March. These early harbingers of spring are a delight to find on prairie trails, hugging the ground in small, fuzzy clusters of lilac petals with a bright yellow stamen. Their name derives from "Paschal" (of Easter) since it appears around this holiday. Its sepals were used to color Easter eggs in some European countries.

Cluster of Pasque flowers

If you want to catch these fleeting little beauties, try Holland Sand Prairie (head to the right at the trailhead and follow the western fence near the houses until it descends a hill) or King’s Bluff Trail at Great River Bluffs State Park. Let me know where else you are finding them.

Eastern Comma butterfly

Insects too are back. I spotted butterflies, flies, spiders and wasps while out on hikes. Reports from other hikers indicate that ticks (and even mosquitoes!) are active as well. Stop here and here to read ways to protect yourself from ticks on your hikes.

You can help UMN Entomology researchers track tick distribution, seasonal activity and host associations across MN. Record your tick observations on iNaturalist to contribute to the Minnesota Tick Activity Monitor project which aims to document the species most commonly encountered by people, and improve awareness of when and where people need to look out for tick bites.

A small beach littered with
dried lotus blossoms

Temps stayed mostly in the 50's to 60s range with a few cooler days in the mid 30s and low 40s. Great hiking weather. We were lucky to have one significant rainfall during these first two weeks of March though. With our drought from last fall continuing throughout the winter, this is welcome but we are definitely hoping for more.

While it is exciting to see plant and animal life emerging and returning again, most of what I am observing is 2-4 weeks (or more) early. Combined with continued unseasonably warm weather, it suggests that last year’s record-breaking global and local warmth is more than just a powerful El Niño influence but continuing climate change.

Frost is out of most bluff top and prairie top trails and they’ve been hardening - those trail surfaces are firm enough for hikes. Bluff side trails, low wetland trails and forested areas can still be sloppy and muddy. When choosing hikes, be aware of whether you are heading into mud and consider choosing a different destination to preserve trails and prevent erosion.

Wildlife (seen/heard/detected)

• 
  
  Eastern comma butterfly
• Sandhill cranes
• Trumpeter swans
• Pileated woodpecker
• Bluejay 
• Bluebird
• Red-wing blackbird
• Downy woodpecker
• Robins
• Song sparrow
• House sparrow
• Pelicans
• Muskrats
• Turtles
• Red-shouldered hawk
• Great horned owl

Plant Life

• Pasque flowers (3/11)
• Motherwort (unbloomed)

What are YOU noticing on your hikes?

Milkweed pod

Two weeks of hikes:

Kiep's Landing Dike Trail, Trempealeau WI; Meadow Trail, Whitewater State Park, Elba MN; River Bottom Trail, Trempealeau Wildlife Refuge, Trempealeau WI; Holland Sand Prairie, Holland WI (3); Wagon Wheel Trail, La Crescent MN; Mathy Quarry, Quarry Trail and overlooks, La Crosse, WI, Riverside Park, La Crosse, WI

All images - Marge Loch-Wouters

The "I Spy on the Trails" column is a phenology (the study of seasonal changes in plants and animals) journal to chronicle year-round the weather, plant life and wildlife I observe while hiking. It is very useful in helping me compare observations from year-to-year. The column is published monthly from September through April and then twice-a-month from May through August when warm weather brings the natural world back to vibrant life.   

And.....It's Still Tick Time

Hunters and hikers will tell you. Tick time is still with us. With high temperatures and warm nights, ticks are turning up - and on people  again.  While undergrowth has died back, there are enough long grasses and brush to help remind us that ticks are active in fall in these unusually high warm temps.

The black-legged deer tick is the primary carrier of Lyme's disease. But don't despair. Usually, a tick has to be attached to you 36 to 48 hours or more before the Lyme disease bacterium can be transmitted. If you remove a tick quickly (usually within the first 24 hours), you reduce your chances of getting Lyme disease.

The good news is that the ticks are almost all adults so you can see them more easily than when they are in their nymph stage. And there are great ways to protect yourself!

Here are a few quick pre- and post-hike prevention tips that can help with peace of mind and no ticks attached to you!

• Wear light colored clothing (easier to find ticks on them).
• Tuck pants into socks. 
• Spray boots and pants legs with a Picaridin or DEET-containing insect repellent.
• Pro tip from WI DNR -after hikes, toss your hiking clothes into the dryer on high for a 10 minute spin (it kills the little beasties)
• Check your body carefully for any tick action post-hike
• Shower/wash hair (usually it takes from 24-36 hours after a tick attaches. A good scrub helps to dislodge them).
• Consider spraying a set of "hiking clothes" with Permethrin.

I also have a set of Rynoskin tops and bottoms that work well during high tick seasons (they are also effective in preventing mosquitoes from drilling into you). They are easy to use, non-chemical way of giving you protection against your skin.

Don't let ticks stop you from enjoying hikes in these amazing November temperatures. Let's get out there!

Get in Gear - Mosquito/Tick Attack!

As I mentioned in yesterday's "I Spy on the Trails" post, we had some mighty fierce mosquito and tick action on our hikes in northern WI this past week. While on the trails, we were prepared and so came out at the end of each hike in pretty good shape with few to no bites and only a tick or two on our clothes.

Everyone has a formula for success here - from drenching ourselves in bug spray to eschewing sprays and simply picking off ticks as we hike and after and not itching any mosquito bites gotten during the hike.

I'm a bit of a middle-roader here. Some chemicals, some clothes choices and always a post-hike body check. I'm a peace-of-mind kind of gal so prevention is high on my list of hiking comforts!

Here's the gear I rely on to keep me worry (and tick and mosquito)-free. 

First, the non-chemical

Head net over my hat. Newer nets almost make you forget you have a fine mesh in front of your face. My go to is a Sea to Summit bug net that is compact and can be carried in a pocket. With a cord at the bottom, it easily keeps bugs off you face and neck. It's a great non-chemical way to hike through clouds of skeeters.

Full gear both chemical and non-chemical
Image - Michele Besant

Rynoskin long- sleeve shirts, pants and socks - I heard about these from a Canadian canoeist who did alot of spring canoe trips. You wear them under your clothes - the pants are more like light, long-undies. So no chemicals needed against your skin.  They are very lightweight and have reinforced elbows and knees and have a tight band at wrists and ankles to prevent crawlers.

I rely on these in particular from March to mid-June when ticks are at their most active and I am apt to be on grassy trails or bushwhacking off trail. I will also wear them during summer evening/early morning hikes when mosquitoes are at their most active. My Rynoskins are light and white so the shirt gives me protection from the sun - and I can skip sun screen on my arms (for the win)!  While pricey, I haven't had ticks on my skin or mosquito bites through my shirt after a year of hiking with them.

Chemical Means to an End

Permethrin Spray - in March, we spray a lightweight & light colored t-shirt, hiking pants, long sleeve weight & light colored shirt and grey sweatshirt. Those clothes we use only for hiking. The soaking lasts for about 6 weeks or 6 washes. We re-spray again after that. We also wash these in separate loads from our regular wash. The spray is very effective at deterring ticks and dampening the enthusiasm of mosquitoes. I do appreciate that I wear the permethrin clothes over my Rynoskin so no chemicals next to my skin.  You can also use the spray on your gear. 

Tick gaiters - my pair is permethrin-protected from Outdoor Research and I will use this ankle-height pair in short grass in high tick season especially if I plan to step off the trail (hello morels!). There are also knee high gators which are pricey but I am temped since I do some tall grass hiking in prairie areas.

Bug Sprays - Bug sprays containing DEET or picaridin are my go-to. Picaridin is less smelly and oily but I find either effective. I always spray my boots pre-hike during tick season (March-Oct). When it's too hot for the Rynoskin shirt and long-undies, I use sprays on my arms and face and hat and tuck my socks into my pants and give them a spritz too. On the trail, I carry a small bottle of bug dope in case I manage to sweat it all off .

In an April post I shared some pre- and post- hike tips that are less gear involved to help you prevent bug-latching.  Between preparation and prevention, you can almost hike worry-free!

What is your gear of choice or strategy that helps you avoid insect bites or at least grin and bear it? Share in the comments!

Images, unless noted - Marge Loch-Wouters

It's Tick Time Again

I know. Ugh, right?

Ticks and lyme disease are something to be aware of but not scared of.

While ticks are active April through October, spring is especially the time to be aware of their activity. As temperatures rise into the 40's, ticks become active outdoors again. Of course, that's the time we want to be on trails and in the woods enjoying early wildflowers, migrating warblers and foraging for edibles like morels, fiddleheads and ramps.

The black-legged deer tick is the primary carrier of lyme's disease. But don't despair. Usually, a tick has to be attached to you 36 to 48 hours or more before the Lyme disease bacteriumcan be transmitted. If you remove a tick quickly (usually within the first 24 hours), you reduce your chances of getting Lyme disease.

Here are a few quick pre- and post-hike prevention tips that can help with peace of mind and no ticks attached to you!

Wear light colored clothing (easier to find ticks on them).
Tuck pants into socks.
Spray boots and pants legs with a Picaridin or DEET-containing insect repellent.
After hikes, toss your hiking clothes into the dryer on high for a 10 minute spin (it kills the little beasties)
Check your body carefully for any tick action post-hike
Shower/wash hair (usually it takes from 24-36 hours after a tick attaches. A good scrub helps to dislodge them).
Consider spraying a set of "hiking clothes" with Permethrin.
What do you do if you find a tick on you? The safest thing is to grasp it firmly near it's mouth parts with a tweezers and pull it gently out. Save the tick to bring with you to urgent care if you develop a fever or rash so the tick can be tested.


With a few precautions or a general awareness, you can enjoy the outdoors even in the tickiest springs. So get out there and hike!




RESOURCES
This 2022 New York Times article has some recommendations on very effective brands of insect repellant sprays for skin and clothes and where to purchase them.


The CDC has a very informative Lyme's Disease section on their website if you want to dig deeper into identification, prevention,