Deer, dog ticks are abundant in Maine right now. Here’s what to do about them.

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • June 11, 2026

Maine residents are seeing a lot of ticks right now — in their backyards, on hikes, but also even in unusual places like crawling on porches or playground equipment. The reason: The two most predominant ticks in Maine, the deer tick and dog tick, are both in the adult stage of their life cycles. “We have multiple species all active right now,” said Griffin Dill, manager of the Tick Lab at the University of Maine Cooperative Extension. “It gives the impression that we are inundated with ticks.” Dog ticks have a broader habitat range than deer ticks, and are more noticeable to humans, Dill said. Deer ticks are a public health hazard, transmitting Lyme and other tick-borne diseases to humans. Dog ticks are considered more of a nuisance than a health threat.