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Lone Star ticks in South Dakota

Lone Star ticks are starting to show up in South Dakota.

CDC lists Lone Star ticks as established in four southeastern South Dakota counties: Clay, McCook, Union and Yankton.

Peak season
April – SeptemberNo state figure; CDC's national guide: CDC (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 South Dakota

  • 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 South Dakota’s 66 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 66 counties
Aurora CountyBeadle CountyBennett CountyBon Homme CountyBrookings CountyBrown CountyBrule CountyBuffalo CountyButte CountyCampbell CountyCharles Mix CountyClark CountyClay CountyCodington CountyCorson CountyCuster CountyDavison CountyDay CountyDeuel CountyDewey CountyDouglas CountyEdmunds CountyFall River CountyFaulk CountyGrant CountyGregory CountyHaakon CountyHamlin CountyHand CountyHanson CountyHarding CountyHughes CountyHutchinson CountyHyde CountyJackson CountyJerauld CountyJones CountyKingsbury CountyLake CountyLawrence CountyLincoln CountyLyman CountyMarshall CountyMcCook CountyMcPherson CountyMeade CountyMellette CountyMiner CountyMinnehaha CountyMoody CountyOglala Lakota CountyPennington CountyPerkins CountyPotter CountyRoberts CountySanborn CountySpink CountyStanley CountySully CountyTodd CountyTripp CountyTurner CountyUnion CountyWalworth CountyYankton CountyZiebach County

Loading counties…

Fig. 1. South Dakota’s 66 counties, by CDC’s 2025 record. Click one to open its page.
  • Established4
  • Reported2
  • No records60

Common questions

Are there Lone Star ticks in South Dakota?

In some places. South Dakota is at the edge of the Lone Star tick's range, where more are being found. Most of the state has no records yet. Use tick prevention outdoors, especially in the southeast.

When is tick season in South Dakota?

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

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

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

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 South Dakota?

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 from7 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.

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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