Delmarva Itch Calendar

Highest risk window of the year.

Do this: Wear permethrin-treated clothing in fields and woods, and do a full tick check within two hours of coming inside.

Common and biting/blooming across the Peninsula.

Do this: Dump standing water around the yard weekly, and use an EPA-registered repellent at dusk near marsh and pond edges.

Highest risk window of the year.

Do this: Learn the leaf shape, never burn yard debris in spring or summer, and wash exposed skin with a urushiol-cutting cleanser within two hours.

Common and biting/blooming across the Peninsula.

Do this: Check the local Bay nettle forecast before swimming, and pack a simple sting kit with vinegar and a card scraper.

Common and biting/blooming across the Peninsula.

Do this: Start a daily non-drowsy antihistamine 1–2 weeks before your usual flare, run AC on recirculate, and shower at night to keep oak pollen off your pillow.

Background risk only.

Do this: Shower and change clothes after time outdoors, run AC instead of opening windows on high pollen days, and start a daily antihistamine before symptoms peak.

Highest risk window of the year.

Do this: Keep indoor humidity at 40–50%, run bathroom fans during and after showers, and add a HEPA purifier in the room with the worst symptoms.

Background risk only.

Do this: Switch to fragrance-free cleansers, moisturize within three minutes of bathing, and run a humidifier in the bedroom on cold nights.

Common and biting/blooming across the Peninsula.

Do this: Stay on cut paths in tall grass, treat boots and pants with permethrin, and shower within two hours of coming inside.

Highest risk window of the year.

Do this: Wear light-colored, long-sleeve clothing on marsh edges and Atlantic beaches in late June and July, and skip dawn/dusk walks when wind is off the marsh.

Common and biting/blooming across the Peninsula.

Do this: Avoid dawn and dusk near marsh, dune, and water edges; finer-mesh screens and a picaridin repellent work better than standard mesh and DEET alone.

Activity is climbing - start prevention now.

Do this: Rinse and towel off immediately after swimming in warm, shallow Bay coves or ponds, and avoid wading where waterfowl gather.

Activity is climbing - start prevention now.

Do this: Late-summer ankle bites on Atlantic-side beaches usually mean stable flies - use a picaridin repellent on the lower legs and check wind direction before settling in.

Common and biting/blooming across the Peninsula.

Do this: Watch for ground nests in yard edges and woodpiles late summer, keep food and sweet drinks covered outdoors, and step away calmly if one lands on you.

Activity is climbing - start prevention now.

Do this: Inspect hotel headboards and luggage racks on travel, keep bags off beds, and run worn travel clothes through a hot dryer cycle when you get home.

Common and biting/blooming across the Peninsula.

Do this: Keep pets on a year-round flea preventive, vacuum rugs and pet sleeping areas weekly, and wash pet bedding hot during peak months.

Background risk only.

Do this: Back-to-school season is the peak window - check kids' scalps weekly, discourage shared hats and brushes, and act fast on the first nit you find.

Highest risk window of the year.

Do this: Wear shower shoes at public pools, campgrounds, and locker rooms; dry between toes after swimming; rotate sneakers so each pair fully dries; and keep an antifungal powder in your beach bag for damp water shoes.