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Lone Star ticks in Pennsylvania

Yes. Lone Star ticks live in Pennsylvania.

Lone Star ticks can now be found across Pennsylvania, Penn State Extension says, though they are patchy: common in some places and missing in others.

Peak season
April – AugustSource: Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (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 Pennsylvania

  • 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 Pennsylvania’s 67 counties has its own page with CDC’s record for it, a map of the counties around it, and season and prevention notes.

Browse all 67 counties
Adams CountyAllegheny CountyArmstrong CountyBeaver CountyBedford CountyBerks CountyBlair CountyBradford CountyBucks CountyButler CountyCambria CountyCameron CountyCarbon CountyCentre CountyChester CountyClarion CountyClearfield CountyClinton CountyColumbia CountyCrawford CountyCumberland CountyDauphin CountyDelaware CountyElk CountyErie CountyFayette CountyForest CountyFranklin CountyFulton CountyGreene CountyHuntingdon CountyIndiana CountyJefferson CountyJuniata CountyLackawanna CountyLancaster CountyLawrence CountyLebanon CountyLehigh CountyLuzerne CountyLycoming CountyMcKean CountyMercer CountyMifflin CountyMonroe CountyMontgomery CountyMontour CountyNorthampton CountyNorthumberland CountyPerry CountyPhiladelphia CountyPike CountyPotter CountySchuylkill CountySnyder CountySomerset CountySullivan CountySusquehanna CountyTioga CountyUnion CountyVenango CountyWarren CountyWashington CountyWayne CountyWestmoreland CountyWyoming CountyYork County

Loading counties…

Fig. 1. Pennsylvania’s 67 counties, by CDC’s 2025 record. Click one to open its page.
  • Established8
  • Reported11
  • No records48

Common questions

Are there Lone Star ticks in Pennsylvania?

Yes. Lone Star ticks can now be found across Pennsylvania, Penn State Extension says, though they are patchy: common in some places and missing in others. CDC lists them as established in eight Pennsylvania counties and reported in 11 more. Hikers and homeowners should follow prevention steps.

When is tick season in Pennsylvania?

Lone Star ticks in Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania?

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

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 Pennsylvania?

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 from10 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.
    Lone Star Tick (opens in a new tab) · Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection

    Nymphs are active May through early August; adults April through the end of June.

  10. 10.
    Know Your Vector: Lone Star Ticks (opens in a new tab) · Penn State Extension

    Lone star ticks can now be found across Pennsylvania, but are often patchily distributed.

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/pennsylvania. Check the page for the latest version.