The peak tick season has just begun, but reports of bites - and tick-borne diseases - are already higher than usual in Ontario.

Ontario is home to 13 known species of ticks, with dozens of other species reported throughout the province. The insects are present year-round but are more active in the summer months when temperatures remain above 0 degrees Celsius. While not all ticks carry pathogens, and not everyone bitten by an infected tick shows symptoms of illness, a bite can expose humans to a range of health concerns, including Lyme disease.

So far this year, there have been at least 1,124 sightings of black-legged ticks, the species most likely to transmit disease, in Ontario. Just over 600 of these have been found on humans, according to eTick.ca, the main public reporting platform for monitoring ticks across Canada.

Reports submitted to the platform have increased since its launch in 2014. Five years ago, in 2019, the organization received just over 120 reports of black-legged ticks in Ontario during the same time frame.

Although there is usually not much activity on the platform before April, this year "people and their pets encountered ticks in parts of southern Ontario and some locations in eastern Ontario in December and January," says associate professor Manisha Kolkarni from the University of Ottawa's School of Epidemiology and Public Health in a press statement.

Kolkarni stated that Ontario has witnessed a continuous expansion of this species in Canada, with more areas, such as Ontario and Quebec and the Atlantic provinces, reaching the stage of establishment.

Historically in Ontario, black-legged ticks were only found in cooler areas near the shores of the Great Lakes. However, according to the latest map of risk areas, the insects can now be found many miles inland and often in urban and suburban areas.

Kolkarni said, "Unfortunately, these areas are often close to places where people live or that are used for recreation, allowing for increased human exposure to ticks in residential areas and people's yards."

The warm climate and subsequent expansion have led to a significant increase in tick-borne diseases - in the past decade, the number of Lyme disease cases in Canada has increased by 1,000 percent, according to government statistics.

Symptoms of Lyme disease occur in stages. Often, the infection initially appears as a red bump or rash around the tick bite site. In later stages, individuals with Lyme disease may experience joint problems, nerve pain, dizziness, headaches, heart palpitations, memory issues, and more. In very rare cases, it can be fatal.

In 2021, more than 8,000 Canadians were diagnosed with the disease.

According to provincial data, there have been 60 reports of Lyme disease in Ontario so far this year. The average since the beginning of the year is 43.

How to prevent tick bites

According to TickTOOL, an educational resource compiled by the University of Montreal and eTick, the best way to prevent Lyme disease is to avoid tick bites altogether.

Wearing long pants, socks, and closed-toe shoes while outdoors can help avoid bites. Light-colored clothing can also make it easier to spot ticks if one happens to be on you.

The source also recommends using insect repellent that contains one of the two recommended and approved active ingredients in Canada for tick protection, DEET and Icaridin.

The source states: While outdoors, pay attention to where you walk. Ticks are often found in tall grasses or vegetation, especially along trails, so if you're heading outside, it's important to be aware of your surroundings and prepare accordingly - and don’t forget to reapply insect repellent.

How to detect a tick

Black-legged ticks are small - nymphs are the size of a poppy seed and adult females are the size of a sesame seed - making them easy to miss when checking yourself and your pets after an outing. Males are smaller.

However, if they have fed, they can become noticeably engorged - with adult females reaching lengths of up to 10 mm.

This species varies in color, appearing either brown or black, with reddish patches near the abdomen.

You may not notice a tick bite because the tick is small and their bites are usually painless.

Once you return home from outdoors, check your clothing, gear, and pets for ticks before going indoors. TickTOOL advises paying special attention to shoes, socks, and pants. It is then recommended to put your clothes in the dryer on high for at least 10 minutes. Ticks die in dry conditions, not hot ones, so using the washing machine is not effective.

When checking your skin, look for dark or discolored spots and use your hands to feel for small bumps.

How to remove a tick

If you find a tick on your body, you will need to remove it carefully. The Canadian Ministry of Health has a tutorial video that guides you on how to properly remove a tick, which can be viewed here.

Using clean, fine-tipped tweezers, start by grasping the tick by the head, as close to the skin as possible, the agency advises.

"Take your time and pull it out slowly. Try not to twist or squeeze the tick."

The guide states that being in a well-lit area or using a magnifying glass may help you see better. If you are not comfortable removing the tick or cannot reach it yourself, ask someone else to help you as soon as possible. Once it is removed, clean the area with soap and water or an alcohol solution.

The agency says on its website: "Be aware that those various home remedies you may have heard about for removing ticks have not been proven effective and may do more harm than good." "Under no circumstances should you use fire, ointment, or flammable liquid (gasoline, oil, lighter fluid, or acetone, or nail polish remover, etc.) or caustic substance in removal attempts."

Monitoring symptoms of tick-borne diseases

Generally, a tick must be attached to the body for 24 hours or more to transmit Lyme disease. However, it is recommended to monitor for symptoms even if the tick was removed in less time.

Signs and symptoms of Lyme disease can vary from person to person. Early symptoms may include fever, headache, muscle and joint pain, fatigue, and a spreading red rash, often in the form of a bull’s-eye with a ring around it.

In July 2023, the Ministry of Health categorized tick-borne diseases as reportable diseases of public health significance, requiring public health units to enter case information about all individuals into the integrated public health information system within one business day of initial notification.