Wake County including Raleigh, Cary, Apex, Garner, and surrounding communities is one of the most active tick regions in the Southeast. With warm temperatures, high humidity, dense wooded areas, and a long growing season, the county provides ideal habitat for several tick species that pose risks to both residents and pets.
Ticks become active when temperatures rise above 45–50°F.
Wake County regularly experiences warm spells as early as February, allowing ticks to start seeking hosts earlier.
The warm, humid climate helps ticks stay active for 8+ months each year.
Suburban neighborhoods with wooded yards, leaf litter, and shaded vegetation provide ideal tick habitat.
Deer, mice, squirrels, and other wildlife act as hosts, allowing ticks to spread throughout residential areas.
Dogs and outdoor pets frequently pick up ticks during hikes, yard play, or wooded walks, making pet-to-home transfer common.
Ticks in Wake County are known carriers of:
Lyme disease (primarily from blacklegged ticks)
Ehrlichiosis (from lone star ticks)
Rocky Mountain spotted fever (from American dog ticks)
Alpha-gal syndrome, a red-meat allergy linked to lone star tick bites
This combination of long seasons, abundant wildlife, suburban vegetation, and disease potential makes tick awareness essential across the area.
When winter temperatures stay above 40–50°F — which is increasingly common — ticks remain active.
Mild winters allow more ticks to survive into spring, making early-season populations larger.
Spring moisture increases vegetation density and ground-level humidity.
Ticks thrive in damp, shaded environments, making rainy springs a high-alert period for nymph activity.
Wake County’s summer humidity helps ticks retain moisture.
Lone star ticks and American dog ticks are especially active during June through August.
Warm autumns keep adult ticks active into October and November.
Many residents assume tick season ends when summer does — but Wake County sees continued activity until the first hard freeze.
