Now that spring is here, so are ticks. Here's what Quebecers need to know

As soon as the weather in southern Quebec starts to get milder, with just a few consecutive days above zero, black-legged ticks are a threat.

And they can be lurking anywhere outdoors. It's not just something to worry about when you're out frolicking at the farm or marching up a mountain.

They can be in your own backyard, and they can transmit diseases like Lyme — an illness that is on the rise in the province as the tick population continues to grow.

"This is a great time of year to start doing prevention," said Jade Savage, an entomology professor at Bishop's University in Sherbrooke. "All it takes is a couple days of rain and ticks can start being active."

She launched eTick.ca a few years ago in collaboration with Quebec's public health institute (INSPQ) and the Public Health Agency of Canada. It now serves the entire country, allowing people to report and identify ticks they find simply by uploading a photo.

The tool allows scientists to keep track of the types of ticks that are being found, and how many. The black-legged tick, or deer tick, make up more than half of submissions to eTick in Quebec, she said.

Right now, most of the submissions are coming from the Eastern Townships, Montérégie and the Montreal region, she said. 

Ticks can also carry anaplasmosis, but Savage explained, the prevalence of tick-borne diseases varies. Not all black-legged ticks carry anaplasmosis or Lyme, she said, and the percentage of ticks carrying these bacteria can even fluctuate in an area year by year.

Lyme disease infections are not increasing at an alarming rate in Quebec, but people should not downplay the importance of tick-bite prevention and should remain vigilant during spring and fall, when ticks are most active, Savage said.

Savage said most Lyme disease infections are acquired in the spring, because young ticks are in the nymph stage and are much harder to spot on the body than adult ticks.

According to Quebec public health, nymph ticks often go unnoticed, and they are most active during the spring and summer months. Adult ticks are easier to spot and more active in the fall.

It is important to take measures to prevent tick bites, such as wearing protective clothing, using insect repellent and performing regular tick checks after spending time outdoors in wooded or grassy areas, public health says.

In addition, Savage added, people should not assume that ticks are present only in rural areas. Activities such as gardening and yard work can increase the risk of tick bites, even in cities, she said.

Public health data shows there were 495 reported Lyme infections in 2022, with 259 of those in the Eastern Townships, 103 in Montérégie and 64 in Montreal.