Skip to content
LoneStarMap

Lone Star ticks in Louisiana

Yes. Lone Star ticks live in Louisiana.

CDC lists Lone Star ticks as established in 19 of Louisiana's 64 parishes and reported in 13 more.

Peak season
March – OctoberNo state figure; regional source: Mississippi State University Extension (opens in a new tab)
What to do
Use repellent outdoors and check yourself, your kids and your pets for ticks when you come in.
Where ticks wait
  • Wooded areas and shaded trail edges
  • Tall grass, brush, and overgrown fields
  • Leaf litter and ground cover
  • Shaded borders where lawns meet woods
Who should take extra care

Hikers and campers, hunters, pet owners, gardeners and yard workers, golfers, and parents of young children.

If you find one on you

Take it out with fine-tipped tweezers, pulling straight up, and write down the date. The step-by-step guide tells you what to watch for, and for how long.

What to do after a biteIdentify the tick

How to avoid bites in Louisiana

  • Use EPA-registered repellent (DEET, picaridin, or oil of lemon eucalyptus)
  • Treat clothing and gear with permethrin
  • Wear long sleeves and tuck pants into socks in brushy areas
  • Stay on cleared trails and avoid tall grass and leaf litter
  • Shower within two hours of coming indoors
  • Do daily tick checks on people and pets during the season
The full prevention guide

Find your parish

Each of Louisiana’s 64 parishes has its own page with CDC’s record for it, a map of the parishes around it, and season and prevention notes.

Browse all 64 parishes
Acadia ParishAllen ParishAscension ParishAssumption ParishAvoyelles ParishBeauregard ParishBienville ParishBossier ParishCaddo ParishCalcasieu ParishCaldwell ParishCameron ParishCatahoula ParishClaiborne ParishConcordia ParishDe Soto ParishEast Baton Rouge ParishEast Carroll ParishEast Feliciana ParishEvangeline ParishFranklin ParishGrant ParishIberia ParishIberville ParishJackson ParishJefferson ParishJefferson Davis ParishLafayette ParishLafourche ParishLaSalle ParishLincoln ParishLivingston ParishMadison ParishMorehouse ParishNatchitoches ParishOrleans ParishOuachita ParishPlaquemines ParishPointe Coupee ParishRapides ParishRed River ParishRichland ParishSabine ParishSt. Bernard ParishSt. Charles ParishSt. Helena ParishSt. James ParishSt. John the Baptist ParishSt. Landry ParishSt. Martin ParishSt. Mary ParishSt. Tammany ParishTangipahoa ParishTensas ParishTerrebonne ParishUnion ParishVermilion ParishVernon ParishWashington ParishWebster ParishWest Baton Rouge ParishWest Carroll ParishWest Feliciana ParishWinn Parish

Loading parishes…

Fig. 1. Louisiana’s 64 parishes, by CDC’s 2025 record. Click one to open its page.
  • Established19
  • Reported13
  • No records32

Common questions

Are there Lone Star ticks in Louisiana?

Yes. CDC lists Lone Star ticks as established in 19 of Louisiana's 64 parishes and reported in 13 more. Louisiana sits in the established range with a long active season. Outdoor workers, hunters, and rural residents should follow prevention steps.

When is tick season in Louisiana?

Lone Star ticks in Louisiana are most active from March to October. They can still bite outside those months on warm days.

Can I get alpha-gal syndrome from a tick bite in Louisiana?

It's possible. Alpha-gal syndrome is a delayed allergy to red meat linked to Lone Star tick bites, and those ticks live in Louisiana. Most bites do not cause it. If you get hives, swelling or stomach pain 2 to 6 hours after eating red meat, see a doctor.

What should I do after a tick bite in Louisiana?

Take the tick out with fine-tipped tweezers, pulling straight up. Wash the bite, keep the tick or a photo of it, and write down the date. Watch for symptoms for the next few weeks. See a doctor if you get a rash, a fever, feel very tired, or react to food.

How do I get a tick identified in Louisiana?

Seal the tick in a bag with a damp paper towel and take a clear photo. Your state health department or a university extension program may be able to name it or test it.

Where this comes from9 sources · Last reviewed June 2, 2026Show
  1. 1.
    Where Ticks Live (opens in a new tab) · CDC

    The Lone Star tick is widely distributed in the Northeast, South, and Midwest U.S.

  2. 2.
    Lone Star Tick Surveillance (opens in a new tab) · CDC

    County-level established vs. reported records. 'Established' = 6+ ticks or multiple life stages collected in 12 months.

  3. 3.
    Alpha-gal Syndrome (opens in a new tab) · CDC

    What alpha-gal syndrome is, symptoms, and its association with tick bites.

  4. 4.
    Geographic Distribution of Suspected Alpha-gal Syndrome Cases — U.S., 2017–2022 (MMWR) (opens in a new tab) · CDC / MMWR

    Highest suspected-AGS prevalence across a contiguous southern, midwestern, and mid-Atlantic region; most cases align with the established Lone Star tick range.

  5. 5.
    Current and Future Distribution of the Lone Star Tick in North America (opens in a new tab) · Raghavan et al., PLOS ONE (2019)

    Ecological niche modeling of Amblyomma americanum range and projected northward expansion.

  6. 6.
    Preventing Tick Bites (opens in a new tab) · CDC
  7. 7.
    Find the Repellent That Is Right for You (opens in a new tab) · EPA

    Search tool for EPA-registered repellents (DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus).

  8. 8.
    Lone Star Tick Surveillance Map Data, 2025 (county status) (opens in a new tab) · CDC

    Every county's status: Established (6 or more ticks, or more than one life stage, found in a year), Reported (fewer), or No records. Linked from CDC's Lone Star Tick Surveillance page.

  9. 9.
    Species Spotlight: Ticks (opens in a new tab) · Mississippi State University Extension

    Lone star ticks are especially active from early spring through fall.

Educational information only, not medical advice. If someone is struggling to breathe or having a severe reaction, call 911. Read the disclaimer.

Printed from lonestarmap.com/states/louisiana. Check the page for the latest version.