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Lone Star ticks in Massachusetts

Lone Star ticks are starting to show up in Massachusetts.

Lone Star ticks have been found in parts of Massachusetts. CDC lists them as established in Dukes County (Martha's Vineyard) and reported in four more counties.

Peak season
April – AugustNo state figure; regional source: University of Rhode Island TickEncounter (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 Massachusetts

  • 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 county

Each of Massachusetts’s 14 counties has its own page with CDC’s record for it, a map of the counties around it, and season and prevention notes.

Barnstable CountyBerkshire CountyBristol CountyDukes CountyEssex CountyFranklin CountyHampden CountyHampshire CountyMiddlesex CountyNantucket CountyNorfolk CountyPlymouth CountySuffolk CountyWorcester County

Loading counties…

Fig. 1. Massachusetts’s 14 counties, by CDC’s 2025 record. Click one to open its page.
  • Established1
  • Reported4
  • No records9

Common questions

Are there Lone Star ticks in Massachusetts?

In some places. Massachusetts is at the edge of the Lone Star tick's range, where more are being found. Massachusetts is near the northern edge of the range. Follow prevention in dunes, brush and woods.

When is tick season in Massachusetts?

Lone Star ticks in Massachusetts are most active from April to August. They can still bite outside those months on warm days.

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

It's possible. Alpha-gal syndrome is a delayed allergy to red meat linked to Lone Star tick bites, and those ticks live in Massachusetts. 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 Massachusetts?

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 Massachusetts?

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 from8 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.
    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.

  5. 5.
    Preventing Tick Bites (opens in a new tab) · CDC
  6. 6.
    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).

  7. 7.
    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.

  8. 8.
    Lone Star Tick (opens in a new tab) · University of Rhode Island TickEncounter

    Adults are active April to late August. Larvae typically latch on by the hundreds. Rhode Island reports have mostly been confined to Prudence Island.

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

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