Ticks in Wisconsin: What You Need to Know

A tick on an edge of a leaf.

About ticks

Ticks are commonly found in many areas throughout Wisconsin and can spread diseases to people and animals by biting them.

Ticks feed on blood by attaching their mouth parts into the skin of a human or animal. During feeding, ticks release saliva that may contain germs.

After you, your family members, or your pets spend time in the woods or areas with tall grass or brush, it is always important to check for ticks, especially in the spring, summer, and early fall.

 Want to know more about the tick you found?

Have you recently found or removed a tick from yourself, your child, or your pet and want to learn more about it? The Wisconsin Department of Health Services offers a fast and simple Tick Identification Service based on a few questions and photographs you submit online. You can send a submission if you live in Iowa, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin.

Important note: The Tick Identification Service cannot determine if the tick you found was carrying any germs or whether it made you sick. If you were bitten by a tick, or think you may have been bitten, monitor yourself for rash, fever, new muscle and joint pain, and new fatigue for 30 days. If any of these symptoms occur, contact your health care provider immediately. The only way to know if a tick made you sick is through an evaluation, and sometimes a blood test, performed by a health care provider. If you were bitten by a tick and live in Wisconsin where Lyme disease is common, consider contacting a health care provider right away to see if a single dose of antibiotics may be appropriate to help prevent Lyme disease.

Submit a tick for identification

 Track tick bites by region

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) tracks the number of people who seek medical care in emergency departments for tick-related concerns throughout the United States. These data can be used to help show when people are at high risk for tick bites in different regions of the country. Wisconsin data are included in the “Midwest Region.” Learn more and view the data (opens external link).

The best way to avoid getting sick is to prevent tick bites.

Learn ways to Fight the Bite!

Last revised February 19, 2025