Lyme disease, an infection caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi and spread by infected deer ticks, has been a serious problem here in Maine for several years and reached a record high of over 2,000 reported cases in 2019. Despite the 2020 dip in numbers which according to the Press Herald, a reluctance to seek medical care during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic and dry weather last summer resulted in a significant decline of diagnosed Lyme disease cases in Maine in 2020, ticks remain a serious threat to Maine residents.

We realize it may seem a bit early to be talking about ticks since there’s still snow in the forecast for parts of Maine this weekend but make no mistake, ticks are already active! What’s more, the National Pest Management Association (NPMA), in their Spring & Summer 2021 Bug Barometer press release last month, noted that there would be an increase in tick activity in New England this coming summer thanks in part to a warm, wet spring and a summer forecast that is expected to be mild and wet. With that in mind, let’s turn our attention to the types of ticks that are most active in Maine.