Are ticks a problem in Santa Rosa during the winter?

​Over the summer I took my dog and children to Nicasio Reservoir in West Marin. There are some great trails around there and a lot of good bass fishing. The grass was tall, which made it a bit of a challenge navigating the trails. After a couple hours we decide to turn back to the truck and return home. When we arrived at the truck, I looked at my son and noticed a bunch of little black things all over his body. No stranger to ticks because I grew up in the area, I knew what they were right away. I think I pulled about 30-40 off him. The dog was another story; over 100 ticks removed by hand and another 20-30 that came off from the tick bath. That was a lot of ticks! I made the same trek on the same trail this last December and when I returned to my truck, not a single tick to be found. Where did they all go?
Ticks do not die during the winter. They survive the winter months by going dormant or attaching to a host. They hide on the ground among the fallen leaves and branches and are practically invisible to the naked eye. Some ticks are active during the winter but that is dependent on the temperature; if the temperature stays above 45-degrees ticks can be active. Tick eggs tend to hatch in August and September, and this is when tick season is in full force. The newly hatched ticks will need to find a host, or they will perish.
Indeed, there are ticks during the winter, but the sheer density and amount is greatly reduced. They are much less of a threat. When spring rolls around again and you see the tiny black things crawling on your walls, in your backyard, or on your children, give Santa Rosa Exterminators a call. We specialize in tick suppression and eradication among other things. We also provide free consultations. You can also visit us on the web at http://santarosaexterminators.com.