FleaDates › Tick season › Alaska
Pacific · AK
When are ticks active in Alaska?
Ticks in Alaska are typically active mid-April to mid-October, heaviest Jun–Aug — and one warm spell can wake them well ahead of spring.
Ticks to know in Alaska
Alaska has very little in the way of established tick populations, and much of what turns up on dogs here has hitched a ride — from travel outside the state, from a visiting pet, or from wildlife. Whatever pressure exists tracks the brief warm stretch, rising in May and June, holding through August, then easing through the fall. A run of your hands over ears, collar line, and between the toes after time outdoors is a good habit all the same — and because hitchhiking ticks don't follow a season, vets here still recommend keeping tick prevention going year-round, especially for dogs that travel, board, or share a home with pets that do.
Wherever the calendar sits this month, the habit that actually catches ticks is the after-walk check: ears, collar line, armpits, between the toes. Prevention plus checks beats either alone.
Month-by-month tick activity in Alaska
| Month | Typical activity | Average temperature |
|---|---|---|
| January | Quiet | 12.4°F |
| February | Quiet | 17.2°F |
| March | Quiet | 23.1°F |
| April | Low | 37.3°F |
| May | Moderate | 49.1°F |
| June | High | 57.2°F |
| July | High | 59.8°F |
| August | High | 56.8°F |
| September | Moderate | 48.4°F |
| October | Low | 34.9°F |
| November | Quiet | 20.5°F |
| December | Quiet | 15.1°F |
Estimates from NOAA U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020), averaged across 3 weather stations near Alaska's larger cities, using the ~40°F activity threshold reported in published tick research. Real years run early or late with the weather.
Fleas peak later. Alaska flea season typically runs mid-May to mid-September — see the Alaska flea season page.
Frequently asked questions
When does tick season start in Alaska?
Around mid-April in a typical year, once temperatures clear roughly 40°F — noticeably earlier than flea season. A February thaw can bring ticks out ahead of schedule.
What ticks live in Alaska?
The species dog owners most often meet in Alaska: American dog tick, brown dog tick. Alaska has very little in the way of established tick populations, and much of what turns up on dogs here has hitched a ride — from travel outside the state, from a visiting pet, or from wildlife. Whatever pressure exists tracks the brief warm stretch, rising in May and June, holding through August, then easing through the fall. A run of your hands over ears, collar line, and between the toes after time outdoors is a good habit all the same — and because hitchhiking ticks don't follow a season, vets here still recommend keeping tick prevention going year-round, especially for dogs that travel, board, or share a home with pets that do.
Do I need tick prevention in winter in Alaska?
Yes. Ticks overwinter under leaf litter and snow rather than dying off, and mild spells wake them — which is why veterinary organizations recommend year-round parasite prevention. The calendar shows when pressure peaks, not when protection can lapse.
What about fleas in Alaska?
Fleas run on a warmer calendar — in Alaska that's mid-May to mid-September. See the Alaska flea season page for that month-by-month picture.