March on Delmarva does not usually feel like tick season, but a mild winter keeps the ground from freezing and lone star ticks stay active in leaf litter and along field edges. The nymphs are tiny - barely the size of a poppy seed - and they are out now. A calm prevention routine this month keeps you from finding one embedded in April.
What it looks and feels like
- A small red bump that appears a day or two after the bite, sometimes with a pale center or a spreading bullseye ring.
- Itch is usually mild at first, then builds over several days; some people get almost no symptoms.
- The bite itself is painless because the tick injects a numbing agent while it feeds.
What to do right now
- Treat boots and pants with permethrin spray now and let them dry overnight - it lasts through several washes and repels ticks on contact.
- Walk the center of trails and avoid brushing against grass and brush at field edges.
- Do a full-body check after any outdoor walk: armpits, groin, behind knees, hairline, and between toes are favorite spots.
- The dryer trick works: tumble outdoor clothes on high heat for 10 minutes when you come inside - it kills ticks faster than washing in cold water.
- If you find a tick attached, remove it with fine-tipped tweezers close to the skin, pull straight out, and save it in a bag if your clinician wants it tested.
Local note
On the lower Shore, Worcester and Sussex County woodlots and the edges of Assawoman Wildlife Area are early-season tick hot spots. The salt marsh edges are usually safer than the brushy transition zones between field and forest.
Check early, check often. See you in April.
Related product guides
Other recent issues
Get Delmarva Itch Alerts
Seasonal itch warnings, practical prevention tips, and calm relief guidance for bites, poison ivy, beach itch, stings, heat rash, dry skin, and allergy-related itch across Delmarva.
- Seasonal itch warnings before the rough weeks hit
- Practical prevention for bites, poison ivy, beach itch, stings, heat rash, and dry skin
- Calm relief guidance you can act on right away