You may wonder, are there ticks in Alaska? Yes.
Ticks occur in Alaska, although you generally encounter them less often than in many parts of the Lower 48.
Native species usually live on small mammals and birds. Non-native ticks can arrive on traveling pets, livestock, wildlife, clothing, or people.
Your risk of a tick-borne disease is generally low, yet it is not zero.
Check yourself and your pets after outdoor activities, use appropriate repellents, and report unusual ticks to help protect your household and improve Alaska’s surveillance data.
What Is Known About Alaska Tick Risk
Alaska has ticks, though established populations and human disease risk differ from those in much of the Lower 48.
The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation reports that ticks occur in Alaska and that infected ticks can transmit disease-causing pathogens.
Why Local Disease Risk Is Generally Low
Many ticks in Alaska are native species that feed on wildlife rather than commonly biting people.
The state has not developed the same widespread disease cycle associated with the blacklegged tick, Ixodes scapularis, also called the deer tick, in much of the eastern and central United States.
Travel-Related Exposure Versus Local Acquisition
Travel changes your risk.
You or your pet may pick up a tick during a trip and bring it home on clothing, luggage, or fur.
Alaska surveillance has found many non-native ticks on hosts that recently traveled outside the state.
A tick found in Alaska does not automatically indicate local transmission.
Lyme Disease And Other Illnesses
Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, tularemia, anaplasmosis, and babesiosis are associated with particular tick species and geographic areas.
Imported ticks, including a lone star tick, may carry pathogens, although finding one does not prove that transmission occurred.
If you develop fever, a spreading rash, unusual fatigue, headache, or muscle aches after a bite, contact a healthcare professional and mention recent travel and tick exposure.
Tick Species, Hosts, And Where They Turn Up
Alaska has native ticks, along with non-native species that arrive through travel and animal movement.
Reports from Anchorage, Fairbanks, Juneau, Sitka, and Homer help officials track where these ticks appear and which hosts carry them.
Native Ticks On Small Mammals And Birds
The squirrel tick, Ixodes angustus, is a native Alaska species commonly associated with squirrels, hares, and related small mammals.
You may occasionally find native ticks on people or pets, yet their usual wildlife hosts and long-established presence make them a different concern from newly introduced ticks.
Non-Native Ticks Introduced By Pets And Travel
The American dog tick, Dermacentor variabilis, brown dog tick, Rhipicephalus sanguineus, and Rocky Mountain wood tick, Dermacentor andersoni, are non-native or uncommon introductions in Alaska.
Dogs often carry these ticks, especially after travel from the Lower 48.
Check your pet before returning home and again after arrival.
Wildlife Concerns And The Moose Winter Tick
The winter tick, Dermacentor albipictus, can severely affect moose by causing blood loss, hair loss, and heat loss.
The Alaska Department of Fish and Game’s tick report describes concern that this species could become established if introduced, particularly because it can reproduce and survive in areas near Fairbanks and Palmer.
Regional Reports Across Alaska Communities
People have identified ticks in Southeast Alaska, Southcentral Alaska, and Interior Alaska, including Juneau, Sitka, Anchorage, Fairbanks, and Homer.
A community report shows presence, not necessarily a permanent population.
Alaska’s surveillance results from 2019 through 2022 summarize findings from the Submit-A-Tick Program and other monitoring efforts.
Seasonality, Prevention, And Reporting
Tick activity can increase from spring through summer, especially during milder weather.
Stay alert whenever temperatures allow ticks to move.
Repellents, practical clothing, pet preventives, and timely checks reduce the chance of an attached tick going unnoticed.
When To Be Alert For Tick Activity
The tick season in Alaska is less predictable than a simple calendar range.
Watch for ticks during warm periods in spring, summer, and fall, particularly in brush, tall grass, leaf litter, animal bedding, and wooded trails.
Climate change may make conditions more suitable for some introduced species, though local risk varies by species and location.
Personal Protection Outdoors
Wear long pants and socks, and tuck clothing where practical.
Apply an EPA-registered repellent containing DEET to exposed skin according to its label.
Treat clothing and gear with permethrin products designed for that purpose. Avoid applying permethrin directly to skin.
Stay on maintained paths when possible.
Perform tick checks after hiking, camping, gardening, or handling animals.
Pet Protection And Post-Travel Checks
Ask your veterinarian about reliable flea and tick prevention for your dog or cat before travel.
Inspect your pet’s ears, neck, legs, toes, and belly after outdoor exposure.
Examine carriers, bedding, clothing, and vehicle interiors after trips to the Lower 48.
A preventive product does not replace a physical check.
Removing And Reporting A Tick
Use fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick close to your skin. Pull upward with steady pressure.
Clean the bite area and your hands. Avoid using petroleum jelly, heat, or crushing the tick against your skin.
Place the specimen in a tightly sealed container. Submit it through Alaska’s Submit-A-Tick program, following current instructions.
Save details about where and when you found the tick. Note if you or your pet recently traveled and the host.
Seek medical care if symptoms develop after a bite.
