WEST VIRGINIA (WVDN) – Spring in West Virginia brings milder days and outdoor adventures, but it also signals tick season. Understanding risks and adopting safety habits can help residents and visitors enjoy the outdoors while reducing tick bites and tick-borne illnesses. Celebrate the West Virginia outdoors safely.
Ticks in West Virginia are common species, including the blacklegged tick, or deer tick, and the American dog tick. Blacklegged ticks can transmit diseases such as Lyme, anaplasmosis, and babesiosis. Ticks are most active from spring through fall, with peak activity in warmer days after rain; warmer winters can extend their activity into late winter and early spring. Ticks thrive in grassy, wooded areas, leaf litter, and along trails, latching onto hosts as they brush past vegetation.
With the uptick of tick-related diseases in West Virginia, you need to include preventative steps for safer spring outings. Use EPA-registered repellents containing DEET, picaridin, IR3535, or lemon eucalyptus on skin, and treat clothing with permethrin. Follow product instructions. Perform thorough checks after outdoor activity, especially on the scalp, behind the ears, underarms, groin, and knees. Shower soon after returning indoors to wash away unattached ticks. Wear light-colored clothing to spot ticks easily, tuck pants into socks, and wear long sleeves to reduce skin exposure. Keep lawns mowed, create a tick-safe buffer of gravel or wood chips at the yard’s edge, and remove leaf litter. For wooded or wetland adventures, stay on clear
trails.
If bitten or you develop symptoms, watch for signs such as fatigue, fever, headache, a bull’s-eye rash, or flu-like symptoms that may appear days to weeks after a bite. If you suspect a tick-borne illness, seek medical care promptly; early treatment improves outcomes.
If you get bitten by a tick, remove the tick promptly and properly with fine-tipped tweezers, cleaning the bite area after removal. Save the tick if possible, monitoring for symptoms in the days to weeks that follow. Seek medical care if symptoms arise or if the tick was not easily removed, or if you have risk factors for tick-borne illness. A tick key would be an option to carry on your outdoor adventures. This small tool grips a tick near the skin and pulls it straight out with steady pressure. You can find them at outdoor stores, look for “tick removal tool” or “tick key.”
Enjoying the West Virginia Outdoors means enjoying the landscapes you love. From the ridges of the Appalachian Trail to the Green Valleys of the Monongahela National Forest, West Virginia offers premier hiking, birdwatching, fishing, hunting and camping. Check park and trail status for spring blooms and wildlife viewing opportunities. Protect your experience by adopting a protective mindset, packing light, wearing proper attire, and timing outings to mild, dry days.
Early mornings and post-rain windows are ideal for outdoor photography, trail runs, or family hikes. Visit WV’s official tourism and park sites for updated access information, safety tips, and seasonal events.
Stay tick aware this Spring in West Virginia’s outdoors. Enjoy the season with confidence and caution.
