Tick Season in Germany — When Is the Risk Highest?
In short: Ticks become active once temperatures stay reliably above about 7 to 8°C — depending on the weather, that can happen as early as February or March, and activity can continue into October or November. There are usually two activity peaks, in late spring and early autumn; with mild winters, ticks can now be active year-round.
The rough yearly pattern
- Spring (March–June): Ticks become active with the first mild days — this period is usually the first activity peak, especially in May and June.
- Summer (July–August): During prolonged heat and dryness, activity eases off somewhat in some regions, as ticks prefer shadier, damper areas.
- Autumn (September–October): Cooler, damper weather often brings a second surge in activity.
- Winter: Ticks are inactive during frost, but just a few mild days in a row can reactivate them — so a "tick-free winter" is no longer a reliable assumption.
Why the season keeps stretching
Ticks respond to temperature, not the calendar. Milder, shorter winters mean more active days per year for them — a trend that has increasingly challenged the old assumption of "ticks only from April to October" in recent years. In practice, that means a quick check after a walk in the woods is worthwhile even on an unusually mild winter day.
What this means for your tick check
- During peak season (spring through autumn): build a check into every outing in the green — see our routines for children, dogs, and cats.
- Outside peak season: don't drop your guard entirely on mild days, especially after time near woods or the edges of meadows.
- Worth doing year-round: prevent ticks, not just search for them — more on that in "Preventing Ticks in Your Garden".
Regional risk areas for certain tick-borne diseases change from year to year and are kept up to date by health authorities such as the Robert Koch Institute (Germany's national disease-control agency) — if you're unsure, it's worth checking the current official maps or asking at your doctor's office.
Whatever the season: TickSpot is always within reach — free in your browser, and installable for offline use.
Start the tick checkNote: This article offers general, seasonal guidance and does not replace current official risk-area information or medical advice.