Why a Snowy Winter Can Mean More Ticks This Spring
When winter brings heavy snowfall, many homeowners assume it will naturally reduce tick populations. However, decades of ecological research show that snowy winters protect ticks rather than eliminate them, setting the stage for increased tick activity once spring arrives.
Ticks are remarkably resilient. Instead of dying off in winter, they enter a dormant state called diapause, which allows them to survive freezing temperatures. During diapause, ticks slow their metabolism and conserve energy stored from their last blood meal. They shelter close to the ground beneath leaf litter, soil, and vegetation, where they are shielded from harsh winter conditions. When snow accumulates, it acts as a natural insulator, trapping heat and stabilizing ground-level temperatures. Beneath the snow, conditions are far less extreme than the air above, helping ticks avoid lethal freezes even during prolonged cold spells.
Research on blacklegged (deer) ticks, the primary carriers of Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses in New England, consistently shows higher winter survival rates when snow cover is present. Studies conducted in northern climates, including Maine and Connecticut, have found that ticks protected by snow and leaf litter are significantly more likely to survive the winter compared to those exposed to cold, dry conditions without snow.
Another important factor is moisture. Ticks are highly sensitive to dehydration, and snow helps maintain humidity in the soil. This moist environment reduces the risk of desiccation, which can be just as deadly to ticks as extreme cold. A snowy winter with consistent snow cover can therefore create ideal conditions for ticks to survive until spring.
During mid-winter thaws, when temperatures rise above freezing, adult ticks can briefly become active. However, consistent snow cover typically limits this activity. While snow helps ticks survive by insulating them from extreme cold, it also restricts their movement. Ticks are unable to easily climb vegetation or “quest” for hosts when they are buried beneath snow, which is why most tick encounters still occur once snow melts and temperatures rise in spring.
What’s happening beneath the snow right now matters because it directly influences what homeowners may experience later. Higher winter survival rates often lead to earlier spring activity and increased populations of nymphs, the tiny, hard-to-detect life stage responsible for most tick-borne disease transmission. These nymphs become active as soon as temperatures rise and the snow melts.
When spring arrives, beginning tick control treatments early can help disrupt the tick life cycle at a critical stage, limiting the number that mature and reproduce as temperatures rise. At Pure Solutions, we start spraying in the early spring to help protect you and your family from ticks and the dangerous diseases they can carry. If you have any questions or would like to learn more, contact the team!
Request a Free All-Natural Tick Control Quote
Sources:
Do ticks survive in winter and are they still a threat?. Biology Insights. (2025, December 2). https://biologyinsights.com/do-ticks-survive-in-winter-and-are-they-still-a-threat/?utm
Linske, M. A., Stafford, K. C., Williams, S. C., Lubelczyk, C. B., Welch, M., & Henderson, E. F. (2019, July 30). Impacts of deciduous leaf litter and snow presence on Nymphal Ixodes scapularis (Acari: Ixodidae) overwintering survival in coastal New England, USA. MDPI. https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/10/8/227?utm
Volk, M. R., Lubelczyk, C. B., Johnston, J. C., Levesque, D. L., & Gardner, A. M. (2022, January 13). Microclimate conditions alter ixodes scapularis (Acari: Ixodidae) overwinter survival across climate gradients in Maine, United States. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34826798/