Tick season comes earlier to the Okanagan than we think

At a recent art night with friends in early March, we were adjourning and preparing to leave when one of us exclaimed, “A tick!” And there, inching its way up the doorframe nearby, was a tick. Unfortunately, I didn’t get a good look at it before one friend swooshed it away with some tissue, down the toilet.

Ticks in the spring

But it made me realize: tick season creeps up on us earlier than we think. Here in the Okanagan, the snow is still occasionally flying in early March, but spring begins to make its inroads: greening grass, thawing ground. The house where we found this tick is also home to three dogs who love to scamper outside, more so now that it is warming up. We don’t know for sure if the dogs brought in the tick, but it was a reminder for me that ticks rely on animals with legs to move about, and to check our pets regularly, even when it still feels winter-ish outside.

Developing tick awareness

Over the years, I’ve become more tick-aware as I venture forth into the early spring landscapes of the Okanagan Valley. I try to remember to wear high socks tucked into my pants while hiking (easier to remember with cooler temperatures) and to conduct tick checks with friends when we finish our outdoor escapades (nobody likes doing it, but we all appreciate being tick-free!). Several of these same friends also have dogs that receive regular tick checks.

Springtime comes to different regions at different times, but it’s good to remember that tick season can begin even before spring officially “starts.”