Extra precaution must be used to protect people and pets when walking in areas where ticks may live. File Art

Summer months draw Texans outdoors, but the number of people enjoying warmer weather also draw out ticks looking for a meal.

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service experts warn that ticks can pose danger and folks should take steps to avoid them.

“Ticks are blood feeders in all life stages and can transmit pathogens that can lead to disease transmission,” said Sonja Swiger, AgriLife Extension entomologist in Stephenville.

Although ticks are active year-round in Texas, there is increased activity during the warmer months when tick populations swell, typically peaking in the summer and then declining in the fall. 

There are 11 common species of ticks found in Texas with the black-legged tick, brown dog tick, Lone Star tick, Gulf Coast tick and American dog tick being the species most likely to be encountered. 

Texas A&M AgriLife’s “The Tick App” for Texas and the Southern Region is a helpful resource and tick identification tool. It is available at: tickapp.tamu.edu

Ticks don’t fly, so the only way to be exposed to them is by entering their space or being in contact with an animal that has picked them up. Unfortunately, she said, ticks can be found pretty much anywhere outdoors.

“They can be in overgrown brush, a field, forest, park, tall grasses and anywhere there is wildlife,” she said.

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