If you've been spending any time outdoors this spring hiking, gardening, or watching the kids play in the yard, there's something you need to know: ticks are having a moment, and not a good one.
The data is hard to ignore. The Professional Pest Management Alliance officially named ticks the 2025 Pest of the Year, following a review of CDC health statistics that revealed emergency room visits for tick bites had reached a five-year high. And in 2026, the trend isn't reversing. In Connecticut alone, 2025 saw more than 6,000 reported tick bites — double the average — and researchers expect things to keep getting worse.
This isn't a coastal problem. Ticks are expanding their range across the entire country, and the Midwest is firmly in their path.
WHY TICKS ARE GETTING WORSE EVERY YEAR
The short answer: our winters aren't cold enough anymore. Milder winters and humid summers have created a perfect environment for tick populations to expand, stretching their active season well beyond the traditional summer months. And that snow we got last winter? It actually protects ticks, which shelter underneath it like a warm blanket.
Tick-borne illnesses in the U.S. have quadrupled over the past two decades, according to CDC data, and experts believe many more cases go unreported.
As shifting weather patterns continue to influence pest behavior, tick activity is beginning earlier than usual in many regions. That means the window when you need to be vigilant is longer than ever — starting in early spring and stretching through fall.
TICKS IN KANSAS AND THE MIDWEST
If you live in Kansas or anywhere in the Midwest; ticks aren't a distant concern, they're in your backyard, your garden, and along every trail you walk. Kansas is home to several tick species including the lone star tick, the American dog tick, and the black legged tick, all of which are capable of transmitting serious diseases.
The lone star tick is particularly widespread across the state and is the primary species linked to alpha-gal syndrome. Its range has been expanding steadily northward and westward, driven by growing deer populations and milder winters. If you're spending time outdoors anywhere in eastern or central Kansas, at a park, on a farm, or even in a suburban backyard, lone star ticks are a real and present risk from early spring through late fall.
The Flint Hills, wooded creek beds, and tall grass prairie regions of Kansas are especially high-risk areas. But even manicured lawns near wooded edges can harbor ticks. The bottom line: if you're in Kansas, you need a tick prevention routine.
But this isn't just a Kansas story. Ticks are showing up in backyards, hiking trails, and golf courses from Maine to California and the risks are the same no matter where you live.
IT'S NOT JUST LYME DISEASE ANYMORE
Most people know about Lyme disease. But researchers are increasingly alarmed by what else ticks are carrying. Of deer ticks recently tested at Upstate Medical University's tick testing lab, nearly 35% carried the bacteria that causes Lyme disease, 11% carried the parasite that causes Babesiosis, and 18% carried the bacteria behind Anaplasmosis.
The lab's director noted that both Babesia-positive and Anaplasma-positive ticks are on the rise alongside Lyme, putting humans and pets at increased risk of acquiring multiple diseases from a single bite.
And then there's alpha-gal syndrome. We hear about it more and more from customers at our markets, events, and beyond, people who've had mysterious reactions, friends who can no longer eat meat from hooved animls, family members who didn't connect the dots until months later. If it's coming up in your world too, there's a reason. It's spreading fast, and it deserves its own conversation.
ALPHA-GAL: THE TICK BITE THAT CAN CHANGE WHAT YOU EAT FOREVER
Alpha-gal syndrome may be the most under-recognized tick-borne condition in America right now. It's a serious, potentially life-threatening allergy that can develop after a tick bite. Alpha-gal is a molecule found in most mammals: cows, pigs, deer, but not in people. When a tick bites, it can transfer alpha-gal from its saliva into a person's bloodstream, triggering an immune response that causes mild to severe allergic reactions to meat, such as beef, pork or lamb. It also can cause reactions to other foods that come from mammals, such as dairy products or gelatin.
What makes it so hard to catch: the allergic reaction is typically delayed by three to five hours after eating, which is unusual for food allergies and makes it very difficult to connect the symptoms to a meal, let alone a tick bite that may have happened weeks or months earlier.
The numbers are staggering. More than 110,000 suspected cases were identified between 2010 and 2022, but as many as 450,000 people may currently be affected in the United States. Many are completely unaware they have it. Recent research from VCU Health found that positive test results for the condition climbed from about 1.8% in 2013-2014 to 38.5% in 2021-2022 — a staggering rise that researchers attribute to both greater awareness and a genuine increase in tick bites.
In late 2024, the condition made national headlines when researchers confirmed the first documented fatality. A 47-year-old man from New Jersey became the first known person to die from alpha-gal syndrome after eating a hamburger at a backyard barbecue. He had no idea tick bites had triggered the allergy. His death had initially appeared mysterious, with no evidence of a heart attack or other obvious cause.
Most cases in the United States are linked to the lone star tick, found throughout the Northeast, South, and Midwest, and its range is actively expanding, driven in part by warmer winters and growing deer populations.
If you or someone you know has been experiencing unexplained stomach pain, hives, or allergic reactions hours after eating meat, it's worth talking to a doctor and asking specifically about alpha-gal. Many healthcare providers still aren't familiar with it, leaving patients to identify it themselves and advocate for their own care.
The most important thing to know: the primary recommendation from experts for avoiding alpha-gal is simply reducing tick bite exposure. Prevention is the only real protection.
WHAT NATURE GETS RIGHT: PLANT-BASED REPELLENTS
Researchers have put serious work into plant-derived alternatives to synthetic repellents like DEET and permethrin, and the results are genuinely encouraging. And with growing awareness of the potential health concerns associated with long-term chemical exposure, particularly for children and those with sensitive skin, more families are actively looking for alternatives that actually work.
The science is clear: certain plant-based essential oils have demonstrated real, measurable repellent activity against ticks, mosquitoes, chiggers, and other insects. The key is not just using any essential oil, it's using the right combination of oils, in the right concentration, formulated to actually stay on skin and do their job.
Our Udder Maddness Insect Repellent Soap and Stick are each formulated with a proprietary blend of nine plant-derived essential oils chosen specifically for their ability to naturally repel ticks, mosquitoes, chiggers, and more. No synthetic chemicals. No DEET. Just a thoughtfully selected blend of nature's own defenses, and the skin-nourishing benefits that come with a real, clean formula.
THE SHOWER STRATEGY EXPERTS ACTUALLY RECOMMEND
Here's something the CDC says out loud that a lot of people don't know: showering after coming in from outside is a real, documented layer of tick protection. Showering within two hours of coming indoors has been shown to reduce the risk of Lyme disease and may be effective in reducing the risk of other tick-borne diseases. Ticks often crawl on the skin for hours before attaching, a good scrub-down can catch them before they bite.
Here on our farm in Kansas, spring and summer mean we're outside every single day, working, tending to the goats, and everything in between. We don't think twice about it anymore: our Insect Repellent Soap is simply our daily soap during tick season. Every shower becomes a layer of protection. You're getting the benefits of nine plant-based essential oils working on your skin while you cleanse, and our goat milk base means you're moisturizing at the same time, not stripping your skin dry the way harsh conventional soaps can. It fits into what you're already doing. No extra steps, no extra products.
THE STICK THAT STARTED WITH OUR OWN KIDS
For families, campers, hikers, fishermen, golfers, really anyone spending real time outdoors, our Insect Repellent Stick is a game changer. It goes on like a lotion, smooth, easy to apply, no spray mist, no mess.
We created this product when our own kids were younger and working at a local apple orchard. They were coming home with multiple ticks every single day. After we developed our insect repellent line and they started using it consistently, it became unusual if they came home with even one. That's not marketing, that's what happened on our farm, with our kids, with a product we made because we needed it and we continue to hear this feedback from our customers.
Kids can wear it comfortably, and you get both the skin-nourishing benefits and the natural protection in a simple swipe. Naturally safe ingredients you can feel good about, even on sensitive skin. Whether it's in a hiking pack, a tackle box, a golf bag, or a diaper bag, it goes everywhere and works everywhere.
Pair both together for full coverage, soap up in the shower or apply the stick before you head out, and know that what's on your skin is working for you, not against you.
YOUR TICK SEASON CHECKLIST
Before you go: Apply natural repellent to exposed skin. Wear light-colored clothing so ticks are easier to spot. Tuck pants into socks in grassy or wooded areas.
When you come in: Do a thorough tick check, paying special attention to behind the knees, around the waist, under the arms, and along the scalp. Then shower and use that shower well.
If you find a tick: Use fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible, pull straight outward with steady pressure, then clean the area with soap and water or rubbing alcohol. Monitor the site for several weeks.
Around your yard: Create clear borders between your lawn and wooded areas, remove dead leaves and overgrown shrubs along the perimeter, and consider planting tick-deterring plants like lavender, rosemary, and marigolds around the edges.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Can I use your insect repellent products on children? Yes, our Insect Repellent Soap and Stick are made with plant-based essential oils and contain no DEET or synthetic chemicals. As with any new product, we recommend testing on a small area of skin first. For very young children, consult your pediatrician before use.
How often should I reapply the Insect Repellent Stick? Reapply as needed, especially after sweating, swimming, or extended outdoor activity. A little goes a long way, one or two swipes on exposed skin is usually sufficient for shorter outings.
Is natural repellent as effective as DEET? Research shows that plant-based essential oil blends formulated for insect repellency can offer real, meaningful protection against ticks, mosquitoes, and chiggers especially for everyday outdoor use. While DEET remains the most studied synthetic option, a well-formulated natural blend is a legitimate and skin-friendly alternative for families who prefer to keep things clean and simple.
FROM OUR FARM TO YOUR FAMILY
At Madd House Hill, we've been making all-natural goat milk skincare for 10 years on our farm in Kansas. We live this life every day, outdoors, on the farm, with our animals and our family. Every product we make starts with that reality. The essential oils in our insect repellent line were chosen because of what they do, not just what they smell like.
Tick season is serious. Your protection routine should be too.
Shop Udder Maddness Insect Repellent Soap + Stick →
SOURCES
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Ticks — https://www.cdc.gov/ticks/index.html
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Preventing Tick Bites — https://www.cdc.gov/ticks/prevention/index.html
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Geographic Distribution of Suspected Alpha-gal Syndrome Cases, United States, 2017-2022 — https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/72/wr/mm7230a2.htm
- VCU Health. Explosive Rise in Tick-Linked Meat Allergy Across the U.S. — https://www.vcuhealth.org/news/vcu-researchers-find-explosive-rise-in-tick-linked-meat-allergy-across-the-us/
- TickLab. What to Know About Alpha-Gal Syndrome — https://www.ticklab.org/blog/2026/03/02/what-to-know-about-alpha-gal-syndrome/