Michigan tick season begins as Lyme disease cases surge

DETROIT (FOX 2) - Cases of Lyme disease are on the rise in Michigan, with the number of confirmed cases nearly quadrupling since 2022. Experts say it’s because more ticks are around.

Big picture view:

Once things really start blooming, they will be out in full force. Experts have been finding ticks a lot more frequently, even in some of our colder months.

That increase in ticks correlates to the increase in Lyme disease cases. According to the state, the numbers have jumped from just over 500 in 2022 to more than 2,000 in 2025.

Early symptoms include fever, headache, and fatigue, but later symptoms can be severe and even cause paralysis.

The ticks you want to watch out for are deer ticks. They are the little ones that can carry Lyme disease. They’re brown with little white specks.

Dig deeper:

Why are the ticks out and about? Experts say it’s due to the climate: warmer winters and longer summers. FOX 2 caught up with a doctor who said you really want to pay attention when you’re going outside this spring.

"It’s a very big deal because these exposures oftentimes go unnoticed. People don’t notice the bite," said Dr. Robert Sherwin. "If they do develop Lyme disease, they can have paralysis, they can have fatigue, they can have a lot of vague symptoms that can last for months or years down the line that can be difficult to diagnose after the fact. The places you want to look are behind your knees, under your arms, your hairline. These are places ticks like to hide. Make sure to check your pets too. Even if you don’t go to a state park, these ticks are everywhere."

What you can do:

If you do have a tick latched on, you’ll probably want to use some tweezers to get it off.

You’ll want to monitor yourself for at least a few days. A big indicator is a target-shaped bite mark.