Ticks are out in full force locally and nationwide. Here's how to stay protected.

There's a noticeable uptick in ticks not just in Maryland, but around the country.

The Maryland Department of Health (MDH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are seeing higher numbers this year compared to previous years.

A local lawn care company said the weather is the likely culprit behind the uptick.

Higher tick exposure

James Belt, the owner of the local franchise of NaturaLawn of America, and his family are finding ticks pretty easily these days.

"My wife said she's found a tick on her; we found them on our dogs," Belt said. "We found one on our son recently."

He says it's the same for his customers, who've been getting a lot of calls about their tick prevention program, Tick Ranger.

"[Our customers] are finding [ticks] on themselves, so it's definitely a big concern. It's very much in people's minds right now," said Bill Wilson, sales and marketing manager of NaturaLawn of America.

There have been 465 tick exposures so far in 2026, according to MDH. That's a nearly 22% increase from this point last year.

The CDC, meanwhile, is reporting a higher number of tick-related emergency room visits around the country. So far in April, there have been 84 visits per 100,000 visits -- that's more than double what we normally see.

Belt said it's because of the weather.

"With the way snow sat around, it kind of insulated things, [then the] warmer spring that happened early on -- it created an environment where ticks were out," he said.

Tick bite prevention

There's a lot you can do to prevent tick bites, such as keeping your grass cut short and removing any kind of debris or brush you have.

Be sure to avoid tall grass while outdoors and use bug repellent on yourself and your pets.

It's also smart to cover up by wearing long sleeves and pants to avoid contact.

Most importantly, whenever you come inside from the outdoors, make sure to do a tick check on yourself.