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Lone Star ticks in Virginia

Yes. Lone Star ticks live in Virginia, and it's an alpha-gal hotspot.

CDC lists Lone Star ticks as established in more than half of Virginia's counties and cities, and found some of the highest rates of suspected alpha-gal cases here.

Peak season
April – SeptemberNo state figure; CDC's national guide: CDC (opens in a new tab)
What to do
Use repellent and do tick checks. If you ever get hives or stomach pain hours after eating red meat, mention tick bites to a clinician.
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.

Named counties

Each rating gives its source. “Alpha-gal hotspot” is kept for the counties CDC names for their number or rate of suspected cases. Ticks vary within every county.

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 Virginia

  • 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 Virginia’s 133 counties and cities has its own page with CDC’s record for it, a map of the counties around it, and season and prevention notes.

Browse all 133 counties
Accomack CountyAlbemarle CountyCity of AlexandriaAlleghany CountyAmelia CountyAmherst CountyAppomattox CountyArlington CountyAugusta CountyBath CountyBedford CountyBland CountyBotetourt CountyCity of BristolBrunswick CountyBuchanan CountyBuckingham CountyCity of Buena VistaCampbell CountyCaroline CountyCarroll CountyCharles City CountyCharlotte CountyCity of CharlottesvilleCity of ChesapeakeChesterfield CountyClarke CountyCity of Colonial HeightsCity of CovingtonCraig CountyCulpeper CountyCumberland CountyCity of DanvilleDickenson CountyDinwiddie CountyCity of EmporiaEssex CountyFairfax CountyCity of FairfaxCity of Falls ChurchFauquier CountyFloyd CountyFluvanna CountyFranklin CountyCity of FranklinFrederick CountyCity of FredericksburgCity of GalaxGiles CountyGloucester CountyGoochland CountyGrayson CountyGreene CountyGreensville CountyHalifax CountyCity of HamptonHanover CountyCity of HarrisonburgHenrico CountyHenry CountyHighland CountyCity of HopewellIsle of Wight CountyJames City CountyKing and Queen CountyKing George CountyKing William CountyLancaster CountyLee CountyCity of LexingtonLoudoun CountyLouisa CountyLunenburg CountyCity of LynchburgMadison CountyCity of ManassasCity of Manassas ParkCity of MartinsvilleMathews CountyMecklenburg CountyMiddlesex CountyMontgomery CountyNelson CountyNew Kent CountyCity of Newport NewsCity of NorfolkNorthampton CountyNorthumberland CountyCity of NortonNottoway CountyOrange CountyPage CountyPatrick CountyCity of PetersburgPittsylvania CountyCity of PoquosonCity of PortsmouthPowhatan CountyPrince Edward CountyPrince George CountyPrince William CountyPulaski CountyCity of RadfordRappahannock CountyRichmond CountyCity of RichmondRoanoke CountyCity of RoanokeRockbridge CountyRockingham CountyRussell CountyCity of SalemScott CountyShenandoah CountySmyth CountySouthampton CountySpotsylvania CountyStafford CountyCity of StauntonCity of SuffolkSurry CountySussex CountyTazewell CountyCity of Virginia BeachWarren CountyWashington CountyCity of WaynesboroWestmoreland CountyCity of WilliamsburgCity of WinchesterWise CountyWythe CountyYork County

Loading counties and cities…

Fig. 1. Virginia’s 133 counties and cities, by CDC’s 2025 record. Click one to open its page.
  • Established70
  • Reported30
  • No records33

Common questions

Are there Lone Star ticks in Virginia?

Yes. Virginia is in the Lone Star tick's range, and CDC found some of the highest rates of suspected alpha-gal cases here. Two Virginia counties stand out in CDC's data: Bedford for its number of suspected alpha-gal cases and Charlotte for its rate. Take care during outdoor activities.

When is tick season in Virginia?

Lone Star ticks in Virginia 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 Virginia?

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

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 Virginia?

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.
    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.

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/virginia. Check the page for the latest version.