Can carry Lyme disease
Blacklegged (deer) ticks are common and increasingly prevalent in Niagara.
- Usually found in forested areas
- Very small and can be hard to see
- Active in early spring and late fall
- No white markings on their bodies
Mosquito and tick-borne diseases
Lyme disease and ticks
A tick is very small and can range in size from a poppy seed to a small grape (when engorged). They don't jump or fly. Ticks are normally found in forested areas or areas with long grass, where they attach themselves to humans and animals passing by.
On humans, ticks normally attach to areas such as the groin, armpits, hairline or behind the ears.
Learn how to protect you and your family from tick bites and how to remove a tick.
Types of ticks
Identify a tick
Tick identification results
[I feel like we may want to explain how they submit a tick to us first]
If you dropped off a tick to Niagara Region Public Health, you can check your results online using your last name and identification number.
Identification results are usually available three business days from the date of submission. [needs link]
West Nile virus
The virus can be confirmed in humans by testing the blood or fluid that surrounds the brain and spinal cord. There is no specific treatment, medication or vaccine for West Nile virus.
In the most severe cases, hospitalization is required for management of symptoms and intensive, supportive care. View statistics about West Nile virus in Niagara and Ontario.
New mosquito species in Niagara
Asian Tiger Mosquitoes (Aedes albopictus) have been identified in Niagara. Unlike most mosquitoes, they are aggressive daytime biters. Although the overall risk is low, use mosquito protection throughout the day and evening.
How it spreads
West Nile virus is spread to humans by an infected mosquito. A mosquito can become infected by biting an infected bird.
The virus is NOT transmitted through:
- Casual contact from others (kissing or touching)
A very small number of cases have been infected by blood transfusion, breast milk, organ transplant from an infected donor, and during pregnancy from mother to baby.
Symptoms
Only 20 per cent of infected people will show any symptoms, which usually appear two to 14 days after an infected mosquito bite.
Most symptoms will be mild:
- Fever / headache
- Nausea / vomiting
- Body aches
- Possible skin rash (below neck and above waist)
- Swollen lymph glands
Seek medical attention for severe symptoms
About 1 in 150 infected people will have a severe infection. Seek immediate medical care if you experience:
- Headache / high fever
- Neck stiffness
- Disorientation
- Coma / unconsciousness
- Tremors / convulsions
- Muscle weakness / paralysis
These symptoms may last several weeks. Some effects may be permanent.
Mosquito control in Niagara
Municipal catch basins in Niagara are treated during the summer to help control the breeding of mosquitoes. Larvicide is placed in areas of standing water where mosquitoes breed, such as ditches, shallow ponds and sewer drains.
The larvicide used has been approved for mosquito control by Health Canada and poses no risk to human health. It's in the form of pellets or granules which dissolve in water.
From June 1 to Oct. 31, 2026, Niagara Region will conduct a larviciding program in St. Catharines, Niagara Falls, Welland, Thorold, Port Colborne, Pelham, Fort Erie, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Lincoln, Grimsby, Wainfleet and West Lincoln.
Under the authority of the Medical Officer of Health, this program is to control larval mosquitoes to prevent their development into carriers of West Nile virus.
The larvicide Altosid Pellets (PCP No. 21809) and VectoLex WSP (PCP No. 28009) will be applied into municipal catch basins. The larvicide VectoBac 200G (PCP No. 18158), VectoBac 1200L (PCP No. 21062), My-Crobe XT (PCP No. 34633) and VectoLex CG (PCP No. 28008) may be placed into selected bodies of surface water, such as ditches and ponds, depending on the results of testing for the presence of mosquito larvae.
All larvicides will be applied by Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks licensed applicators or technicians.
Storm drains are marked with a coloured dot to show it has been treated with larvicide. If there is more than one colour marking, the storm drain has been treated more than once.
For more information about larvicides, visit GDG Environment.
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You can request that Niagara Region treat catch basins on your property to kill mosquito larvae.
Complete an Authorization for Access to Catch Basin form. [convert to online form?]
Email the completed form to Environmental Health.