If you spend time outdoors, especially in areas with greenery, understanding where ticks live is the first step in protecting yourself and your pets.
Ticks are not found everywhere; they are particular about their environment. As members of the arachnid family (related to spiders and mites), they thrive in specific, humid habitats that offer shelter and easy access to their hosts.
The Tick Trifecta: Ideal Habitats
In Canada’s south-central regions, the two most common ticks—the Blacklegged tick and the American Dog tick—share a preference for the same types of terrain:
- Wooded and Forested Areas: This is their prime real estate. Ticks, particularly the Blacklegged tick, are often found in deciduous forests, where the dense canopy and vegetation provide high humidity and consistent shade.
- Leaf Litter: Ticks spend most of their lives on the ground, not in trees. They seek shelter, moisture, and protection in the layers of decomposing leaves and organic debris. Walking through leaf litter on or near wooded trails is a high-risk activity.
- Tall Grass and Brush: Ticks position themselves on the tips of tall grasses, weeds, and low shrubs. This behavior, called “questing,” allows them to quickly latch onto a passing person or animal that brushes against the vegetation.
Beyond the Wilderness: Your Own Yard
While they prefer forests, ticks can and do live in suburban and even urban areas, particularly in spots where wildlife (like mice, chipmunks, squirrels, and deer) travels:
- Wooded Edges: The border where your lawn meets a wooded area, a stone wall, or dense shrubbery is a major transition zone where ticks congregate.
- Gardens and Wood Piles: Any area with overgrown plants, tall ornamental grasses, or piles of firewood and rocks offers the moisture and shelter ticks need.
Knowing these hotspots means you can take simple precautions, like keeping your lawn mowed short and creating a gravel or woodchip barrier between your yard and any adjacent forested land.
Need professional help securing your yard against these pests? Learn more about our tick prevention expert solutions.