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New Jersey Braces for Heavy Tick Season After Warmer Winter.New Jersey Braces for Heavy Tick Season After Warmer Winter New Jersey might face one of its worst tick years on record.A warmer winter kept these pests active when they should’ve been dormant.SavATree.com specialists reported temperatures in the… New Jersey might face one of its worst tick years on record.A warmer winter kept these pests active when they should've been dormant.SavATree.com specialists reported temperatures in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic ran 5-10 degrees above average, which meant bloodsuckers never stopped feeding.NOAA data reveals something troubling.Any day above freezing allowed parasites to stay active through months when they'd typically die off or sleep.Warming trends have pushed populations outward, letting insects survive in bigger numbers while waking up weeks earlier than before.The lawn care company is seeing them appear sooner.Nymph counts are through the roof.These pests now occupy shaded spots and humid habitats — yards, parks, leaf piles, stone walls, and overgrown brush."Ticks are everywhere in Monmouth County, and the Jersey Shore's coastal humidity and dense vegetation create ideal microclimates for them to stay active longer," said Jeremy Scannell, according to Asbury Park Press."Combine that with high deer populations and ongoing development pushing wildlife into suburban neighborhoods, and you get elevated tick pressure in more places, more often, and in higher numbers than in past seasons." Scannell works as a Certified Tree Safety Professional Branch Manager at the company.Interest in control programs has jumped compared to last year in Monmouth and Ocean Counties, he said.Homeowners need to clear leaf piles, trim back shady borders, and create 3-foot wood chip barriers that block movement.Treatments perform best when you pair them with smart habitat management."Trimming dense vegetation, keeping clean borders between lawn and wooded areas, and paying close attention to shaded and moist spots is important because those are the areas where ticks persist the longest," Scannell said.The company offers an organic option — a minimum-risk pesticide that meets National Organic Program standards.A full season needs five to seven treatments from spring into fall, targeting shaded borders, leaf litter, wooded edges, and humid microclimates around the shore.Activity can start in March.It lasts until the first hard freeze hits.Fall brings adult females carrying eggs."Controlling one female tick can prevent the 1,500 to 5,000 offspring she's carrying from emerging next year," Scannell said.What can you do?Keep yards trimmed short.Remove debris and dead plants.Build buffer zones between plants and play spaces.Wear long pants and sleeves when walking through woods, and apply EPA-approved insect repellents.Pet owners must check animals after they've been outside — inspect ears, necks, armpits, and spaces between toes.