New Jersey Tick Map: Tick Activity by County, Season, and Species
Looking for a New Jersey tick map or trying to see which ticks are active in your county right now? This guide brings the map, tick species, county activity patterns, and seasonal timing together in one place.
Use the live Rutgers NJ Ticks 4 Science map below to view current tick submissions, then use the seasonal guide to understand what you are most likely seeing: blacklegged ticks, lone star ticks, American dog ticks, Asian longhorned ticks, and other ticks being tracked in New Jersey.
NJ Tick Activity Map by Region and Species
This map-style guide shows the tick activity patterns New Jersey homeowners are most likely trying to understand before opening the live Rutgers map: which ticks are most associated with each region, what is active by season, and why the timing matters.
North NJ
Bergen, Passaic, Sussex, Morris, Essex, Hudson, Union, Warren
Central NJ
Middlesex, Mercer, Somerset, Hunterdon, Monmouth
Shore / Coastal NJ
Monmouth, Ocean, Atlantic, Cape May
South NJ
Burlington, Camden, Gloucester, Salem, Cumberland
Blacklegged tick / deer tick
Important statewide in suitable habitat. NJDOH lists late May through early July as the nymph peak and late October through December as the adult peak.[3]
Lone star tick
Most associated with southern New Jersey and the Atlantic coast, with detections north of Monmouth County. Adult activity peaks mid-May through late June, and nymphs peak late May through early July.[2][3]
American dog tick
Commonly encountered in spring and early summer. NJDOH lists adult peak activity from early May through mid-June.[3]
Asian longhorned tick
Present throughout the state according to NJDOH, with Rutgers listing activity from March through October.[3][7]
Live NJ Tick Map: Rutgers NJ Ticks 4 Science
Rutgers’ NJ Ticks 4 Science platform shows public tick submissions and helps track changing tick distribution across New Jersey. Use the map to view tick activity by county, then compare it with the seasonal activity chart below.
What the New Jersey Tick Map Shows
A New Jersey tick map is most useful when it answers three questions: where ticks are being found, which tick species are being reported, and what time of year those ticks are most active. Rutgers’ NJ Ticks 4 Science map is designed to track tick encounters and changing tick distribution across New Jersey.[1]
Where ticks are showing up
Use county activity to see whether ticks are being reported in your part of New Jersey.
Which tick species are active
Look for blacklegged ticks, lone star ticks, American dog ticks, longhorned ticks, and other reported species.
When activity peaks
Compare map activity with seasonal peaks, especially the late May through early July nymph window.
NJDOH tick surveillance guidance says New Jersey’s surveillance work is meant to identify where and when people are at risk for tick and tickborne pathogen exposure, and it identifies blacklegged ticks and lone star ticks as the two species of greatest public health importance in New Jersey.[3]
Current Tick Activity in New Jersey: Spring and Early Summer
This page should be updated by season because tick activity changes throughout the year. For the current spring to early summer period, New Jersey homeowners should be watching for the transition into the most important nymph period of the year.
May through early July: what is most active?
- Blacklegged tick nymphs: NJDOH lists late May through early July as the seasonal peak for I. scapularis nymphs.[3]
- Lone star tick nymphs: NJDOH also lists late May through early July as the seasonal peak for A. americanum nymphs.[3]
- Lone star tick adults: NJDOH lists mid-May through late June as the adult peak.[3]
- American dog tick adults: NJDOH lists early May through mid-June as the adult peak.[3]
Seasonal update note: In late summer, this page should shift toward larvae, continued lone star activity, and longhorned tick activity. In fall, it should shift toward adult blacklegged ticks, which NJDOH lists as peaking from late October through December.[3]
NJ Tick Activity by Season
The chart below is the section to update and promote throughout the year. It matches the way people search: “Are ticks active now in NJ?”, “What ticks are out in May?”, “Are deer ticks active in fall?”, and “What tick did I find in my county?”
| Season | Most important tick activity | Species to watch | What to say in seasonal updates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Early spring March to April | Tick activity starts building as temperatures rise. Rutgers species pages list lone star ticks, American dog ticks, and Asian longhorned ticks as active beginning in March.[5][6][7] | Lone star tick, American dog tick, Asian longhorned tick, adult blacklegged tick on favorable days | “Ticks are starting to show up on the NJ map. Watch pets, wooded edges, trails, and brushy areas.” |
| Late spring to early summer May to early July | NJDOH lists late May through early July as the nymph peak for blacklegged ticks and lone star ticks. Adult lone star ticks and adult American dog ticks also peak in this window.[3] | Blacklegged tick nymph, lone star tick nymph, lone star tick adult, American dog tick adult | “This is the highest-vigilance period for tiny nymph ticks in New Jersey.” |
| Mid to late summer July to September | Lone star tick larvae become more noticeable later in summer, and Rutgers lists Asian longhorned ticks as active from March through October.[2][7] | Lone star larvae, Asian longhorned tick, American dog tick, blacklegged tick larvae | “Ticks are still active. Do not assume tick season is over after June.” |
| Fall October to December | NJDOH lists adult blacklegged ticks as peaking from late October through December.[3] | Adult blacklegged tick, Asian longhorned tick into October | “Fall is adult deer tick season in NJ. Tick checks still matter after hikes, leaf cleanup, and yard work.” |
Types of Ticks Found on the New Jersey Tick Map
The map becomes much more useful when you know what each tick means. These are the tick species New Jersey homeowners are most likely to search for after seeing a dot on the map or finding a tick on a person, pet, or clothing.
Blacklegged tick, also called deer tick
The blacklegged tick is the tick most associated with Lyme disease discussions in New Jersey. NJDOH identifies I. scapularis as one of the two tick species of greatest public health importance in the state.[3]
- Map pattern: relevant statewide in suitable habitat.
- Peak to know: nymphs peak late May through early July, adults peak late October through December.[3]
- Why it matters: nymphs are tiny and easy to miss.
Lone star tick
Rutgers says lone star ticks are found mostly in southern New Jersey and along the Atlantic coast, and they have been detected north of Monmouth County, which used to be considered the upper boundary of their range.[2]
- Map pattern: strongest in South Jersey and coastal regions, with northward expansion.
- Peak to know: nymphs peak late May through early July, adults peak mid-May through late June.[3]
- Why it matters: known as an aggressive tick that can be very noticeable where established.
American dog tick
Rutgers says American dog ticks are active throughout New Jersey from March through September, with adult peak abundance from April through July.[6] NJDOH lists adult seasonal peak as early May through mid-June.[3]
- Map pattern: often associated with grassy edges, trails, fields, and scrubby areas.
- Peak to know: spring into early summer.
- Why it matters: larger and easier to spot than nymphal deer ticks.
Asian longhorned tick
NJDOH says Asian longhorned ticks are present throughout the state, while Rutgers lists them as active in New Jersey from March through October.[3][7]
- Map pattern: present statewide.
- Peak to know: activity can run through much of the warm season.
- Why it matters: often more important for animals and livestock, but still relevant to statewide tick tracking.
Tick Activity by County and Region
Tick activity should be interpreted by county, region, species, and season. A county with blacklegged tick reports in November means something different than a county with lone star tick reports in June.
| Region | Counties | Map activity to watch | Seasonal interpretation |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Jersey woods, ridges, parks, suburban edges | Bergen, Passaic, Sussex, Morris, Essex, Hudson, Union, Warren | Blacklegged tick reports are especially important to watch. American dog ticks may appear in spring and summer. Lone star tick reports should be watched as distribution changes. | Late May through early July is important for nymph activity. Fall activity should raise attention for adult blacklegged ticks. |
| Central Jersey mixed woods, neighborhoods, parks, shore transition | Middlesex, Mercer, Somerset, Hunterdon, Monmouth | Blacklegged ticks remain important, and lone star tick attention increases as you move toward Monmouth, coastal areas, and southward. | Spring and early summer can include lone star adults, American dog ticks, and nymphs from key species. |
| Shore and Coastal NJ coastal scrub, dunes, wooded edges, humid corridors | Monmouth, Ocean, Atlantic, Cape May | Lone star ticks are especially important to watch, along with blacklegged ticks and American dog ticks. Rutgers says lone star ticks are mostly found in southern NJ and along the Atlantic coast.[2] | Late spring through summer is a major window for lone star tick activity. Fall still matters for adult blacklegged ticks. |
| South Jersey pine, farms, fields, wooded neighborhoods | Burlington, Camden, Gloucester, Salem, Cumberland | Lone star ticks are often a major map signal in southern and coastal New Jersey, while blacklegged ticks remain relevant in suitable habitat. | Watch the map closely from spring through summer, especially during lone star adult and nymph activity windows. |
Best way to use the county map: First check your county on the Rutgers map. Then match the time of year to the species activity chart above. That gives you a clearer answer than a generic “high” or “low” tick risk label.
How to Read the NJ Tick Map Without Overthinking It
A public tick map is a reporting and tracking tool. It can show where ticks are being submitted and what species are being identified, but it should not be read as a guarantee that every town in a county has the same tick pressure.
1. Start with county
Look at your county first, then nearby counties. Tick populations do not stop at county lines.
2. Look at species
A deer tick report, lone star tick report, and dog tick report each point to different activity patterns.
3. Check the season
The same map dot means more when you know whether it is spring, nymph season, late summer, or fall.
Important: Public tick maps depend on surveillance and submissions. A blank or quiet area on the map does not mean there are no ticks. It may mean fewer ticks were submitted or identified from that area.
What the NJ Tick Map Means for Your Yard
People come to this page for the map, species, and seasonal activity. The practical next step is prevention. If your county is showing activity, or if the season lines up with a peak window, be more careful with pets, children, trails, wooded edges, shaded landscaping, and leaf litter.
Quick prevention steps
- Check people and pets after outdoor time.
- Be extra careful from late May through early July.
- Stay in the center of trails when possible.
- Keep grass trimmed and remove leaf litter at edges.
- Pay attention to dogs, fence lines, wooded borders, and shaded areas.
How Bite Back helps
Bite Back provides targeted, all-natural tick and mosquito control for New Jersey families. Our treatments focus on the zones ticks and mosquitoes use most: wooded borders, brush lines, shaded beds, fence lines, under-deck pockets, and pet routes.
New Jersey Tick Map FAQ
What is the best tick map for New Jersey?
Rutgers’ NJ Ticks 4 Science map is one of the most useful public resources for seeing tick submissions and tick distribution patterns in New Jersey. Use it with seasonal guidance because tick species and life stages change throughout the year.
What ticks are active in New Jersey right now?
In spring and early summer, watch for adult lone star ticks, American dog ticks, and the late May through early July nymph peak for blacklegged ticks and lone star ticks. In fall, adult blacklegged ticks become especially important.
Which tick is most important in New Jersey?
NJDOH identifies blacklegged ticks and lone star ticks as the two tick species of greatest public health importance in New Jersey.[3]
When is peak tick season in New Jersey?
The highest-vigilance period for tiny nymph ticks is late May through early July. NJDOH lists that window as the nymph peak for blacklegged ticks and lone star ticks.[3]
Are lone star ticks in New Jersey?
Yes. Rutgers says lone star ticks are found mostly in southern New Jersey and along the Atlantic coast, and they have been detected north of Monmouth County.[2]
Do ticks show up on the NJ map all year?
Tick reports can vary by season, weather, species, and submissions. Activity is strongest in spring and summer for several species, while adult blacklegged ticks are important in fall and early winter.
Does Bite Back service my county?
Bite Back services many communities throughout New Jersey and select Long Island areas. The fastest way to confirm service for your address is to request a quote or call 732-333-3379.