Highland Park Tick Season Guide: Protect Your Family and Pets

Ticks are threatening Highland Park properties like never before! The invasive Longhorned Asian Tick has officially arrived in Illinois, joining an already troublesome local tick population. This newcomer is now in 20 states, including ours. This means Highland Park residents face more tick threats than before.

No one wants to worry about tick bites when enjoying their yard, garden, or walks in the neighborhood. You’re facing deer ticks and wood ticks looking for new hosts: you, your kids, and your pets. Deer ticks spread Lyme disease, so you need to watch for those bullseye rashes. Wood ticks may be easier to spot, but they still carry harmful germs that can make your family sick.

This year brings a unique challenge! Fewer acorns mean fewer mice, but the tick population hasn’t dropped. This creates a “hunger gap.” More hungry ticks are looking for other hosts, like your family. With tick infestation alerts active for Highland Park, it’s time to take action.

Say goodbye to tick worries and reclaim your outdoor spaces! Your family should enjoy the lovely outdoors at Highland Park. You shouldn’t worry about dangerous tick-borne illnesses.

Highland Park’s Tick Population is Growing

Illinois hosts at least 15 tick species, but four types are making life difficult for Highland Park residents. The American dog tick (wood tick) is the most common. You’ll also find blacklegged ticks (deer ticks), lone star ticks, and brown dog ticks.

Tick populations are thriving throughout the ravines near the West Fork River watershed this spring 2026. Our increasingly mild winters mean ticks become active when ground temperatures reach just 37°F—meaning they are a threat even during winter months.

The Lake County Warning You Can’t Ignore

Both Ravinia and Highlands neighborhoods are reporting increased tick encounters this year. The situation got worse when health officials documented a major discovery: the first blacklegged tick carrying the bacteria that causes ehrlichiosis (E. muris eauclairensis) was collected right here in Lake County.

This discovery confirms that a second tick species in our area is now spreading serious disease. Infected blacklegged ticks can transmit this illness to people, causing fever, chills, and muscle aches.

The “Perfect Storm” for Ticks

The tick problem connects directly to our local environment. Recent years saw a lot of acorns, which helped mouse populations grow. This made for great hosts for young ticks. Now, with fewer acorns and fewer mice, we have the same number of hungry ticks actively seeking new hosts.

Additionally, the invasive Longhorned Asian Tick brings new challenges. Females of this species can reproduce without mating, laying up to 2,000 eggs at a time. While primarily a threat to livestock, their presence in Illinois adds another layer of risk to our ecosystem.

What to Do When You Find a Tick

Found a tick on your body? No worries! Residents who love outdoor activities along the West Fork River watershed need to know how to respond quickly. The right actions can minimize health risks.

• Spotting Tick Bites: Tick bites look like tiny, itchy bumps similar to mosquito bites. Look for the “bullseye” rash that shows Lyme disease. It shows up in 70-80% of cases.
• Remove Ticks the Right Way: Grab fine-tipped tweezers and grasp the tick as close to your skin as possible. Pull upward with steady pressure—don’t twist or jerk! Clean the bite area with rubbing alcohol or soap and water.
• Save That Tick for Testing: Unlike other pests, you want to keep this one! Place the tick in a ziplock bag with a slightly damp cotton ball. Label it with the date and location, then store it in your refrigerator.

Keep an eye out for fever, fatigue, muscle aches, or joint pain for 30 days after a bite. Contact a healthcare provider immediately if symptoms develop.

Protect Your Family, Pets, and Yard from Ticks

Highland Park families need a multi-layered defense strategy! Creating a tick-safe zone around your home protects everyone who matters most to you.

Turn Your Yard Into a Tick-Free Zone

Say goodbye to tick-friendly landscapes!

• Mow grass regularly to 3 inches or less.
• Clear leaf litter where ticks love to hide.
• Create 3-foot mulch barriers (wood chips or gravel) between your lawn and wooded areas or ravines.

Families in the Ravinia and Highlands neighborhoods report fewer tick encounters after making these simple changes. Cedar mulch works as a natural tick repellent, making it perfect for children’s play areas.

Personal & Pet Protection

• Wear light-colored clothing to spot ticks easily.
• Treat clothing with Permethrin for protection that lasts through several washings.
• Protect Pets: Use veterinarian-recommended treatments like Bravecto or Credelio. Check your dogs thoroughly after walks near the lake or ravines.

Professional Tick Control in Highland Park

Skeeter Beater offers tick treatments aimed at high-risk areas. These include tall grass, shaded spots, and edges of properties where ticks often move.

Why Choose Skeeter Beater?

• Dual Protection: Our barrier treatments target mosquitoes and help reduce ticks and fleas at no additional cost to you!
• Targeted Application: We focus on the “transition zones” where your lawn meets the woods—the #1 spot ticks hide.
• 10-Day Guarantee: If pests return, so do we—for free.

Protect Your Highland Park Family from Ticks This Season! Highland Park families face big tick threats this season. But you can still enjoy the outdoors! The Ehrlichiosis discovery in Lake County shows we need to act now.

Choose Skeeter Beater today if you want to work with a proven tick control company that understands Highland Park’s unique challenges! Call us to reclaim your yard today.