Tick Season in Westchester County: What Homeowners Need to Know
If you live in Westchester County, tick awareness isn't optional — it's essential. Westchester consistently ranks among the highest counties in New York State for confirmed Lyme disease cases. With dense woodland, abundant deer populations, and suburban properties that border nature preserves and conservation land, the risk of tick exposure is real for residents of Pound Ridge, Katonah, Yorktown Heights, and communities throughout the county.
2026 Is Shaping Up to Be a Heavy Tick Year
This year the concern is not just routine. The CDC reports that emergency room visits for tick bites this spring are the highest for this time of year since 2017, with April visits up more than 25% nationally compared to last year — and in the Northeast, which includes Westchester, emergency department visits rose about 40% over the same month last year. Milder winters and an earlier start to the season are the drivers. The surge is real, but tick bites remain highly preventable — the practical steps below work, and they are worth taking seriously this season.
Peak Tick Season in Westchester
Ticks are most active from April through October, with peak activity occurring in late spring (May–June) when nymphal deer ticks are tiny — about the size of a poppy seed — and easy to miss. Fall brings another wave of adult tick activity, particularly in October and November.
Contrary to popular belief, ticks don't die off in mild winters. Westchester's climate means ticks can be active on warm days in January and February, so year-round vigilance is important.
The Two Ticks You Need to Know in Westchester
Black-legged deer tick (Ixodes scapularis) — This is the tick responsible for transmitting Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, and babesiosis. Deer ticks are tiny (nymphs are 1–2mm), reddish-brown, and found throughout Westchester's wooded areas. The highest density populations are in eastern and northern Westchester, particularly in the Pound Ridge, Katonah, Lewisboro, and Yorktown areas.
Lone star tick (Amblyomma americanum) — Larger than deer ticks, with a distinctive white dot on the female's back. Lone star ticks transmit ehrlichiosis and STARI (Southern Tick-Associated Rash Illness). They're increasingly common in southern Westchester, including areas around White Plains, Scarsdale, and Port Chester.
High-Risk Zones on Your Westchester Property
- Lawn-to-woods transition zones — The 9-foot edge where your grass meets a wooded area or brush contains the vast majority of ticks on most properties
- Leaf litter and brush piles — Ticks shelter in leaf litter during dry periods
- Stone walls and rock piles — Common throughout Westchester's older properties; these provide ideal tick habitat
- Deer corridors — Properties along deer pathways, particularly near the Bronx River Parkway corridor, Ward Pound Ridge Reservation, and Teatown Lake Reservation, see higher tick pressure
Professional Tick Treatment for Westchester Properties
Hello Pest Control offers seasonal barrier spray programs specifically designed for Westchester County properties. Our tick treatment targets the perimeter of your yard, the lawn-to-woods transition zone, and other high-risk areas using EPA-registered products applied by licensed technicians.
Our tick control season runs April through October, with treatments spaced to maintain continuous protection throughout the season. Property prices vary based on lot size, but most Westchester residential lots are covered by our standard program.
Don't let ticks limit how you enjoy your property. Call Hello Pest Control at (888) 973-7839 to schedule a tick treatment for your Westchester home.
Got a Pest Problem?
Same-day & next-day service in Westchester, Rockland, Bergen County, and The Bronx.
(888) 973-7839Book an Inspection