Rising Tick Bites in the Netherlands: Causes and Prevention

The Netherlands is seeing a significant increase in tick activity, with reports from 2025 marking the highest number of cases in five years. According to the monitoring body Tekenradar.nl, there were 10,795 reported tick bites in 2025, which is a 41% increase compared to 2024.

Public health institute RIVM and Wageningen University have noted that while the reported figure is the highest since 2021, the actual number of tick bites is likely to exceed one million.

Regional Risks and Environmental Factors

The risk of tick bites varies significantly by province. Drenthe reported the highest incidence, with 142 bites per 100,000 inhabitants. Gelderland followed with 83 bites, and Flevoland reported 79 per 100,000 inhabitants.

Lower rates were recorded in other regions. Noord Brabant and Noord Holland both reported 29 bites per 100,000 inhabitants, while Zuid-Holland reported 22.

Environmental conditions heavily influenced the 2025 surge. Wageningen biologist Arnold van Vliet stated that an extremely dry start to the season initially limited tick activity. However, rain in May caused reports to increase, and June and July became the worst months for bites.

The RIVM has further noted that ticks are becoming more active as temperatures rise, with an increase in reported bites in the weeks leading up to April 2026.

Tick Habitats and Prevention

Ticks are found throughout the Netherlands in gardens, parks, dunes, heaths, and forests. They primarily inhabit tall grass located near bushes or trees, as well as decomposing leaves.

To prevent bites, the RIVM recommends checking the body and clothing after visiting green areas. Ticks prefer specific areas of the body, including:

• The groin and buttocks
• Armpits
• Along the edges of underwear
• Behind the ears
• Around the hairline at the neck

One suggested prevention method is to tuck trousers into socks when entering wooded areas.

Health Risks and Disease Transmission

Tick bites can lead to illness. In the Netherlands, ticks can transmit tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) in rare cases, and more commonly, Lyme disease. Approximately 1 in 5 ticks in the Netherlands carries the bacteria that causes Lyme disease.

Lyme disease is caused by the Borrelia Burgdorferi bacteria. The risk of disease transmission increases the longer a tick remains attached to the skin. the RIVM advises removing the tick quickly.

When to Seek Medical Attention

Individuals are advised to see a GP if they experience specific symptoms following a bite. These include:

• Expanding discolouration of the skin at the bite location, which may appear as a ring for up to three months after the bite.
• Fever in the first weeks after the bite, potentially accompanied by joint and muscle pain.
• Nervous complaints, cardiac symptoms, or skin conditions, which may develop if early symptoms of Lyme disease were not treated with antibiotics.

Lyme disease can have potentially serious consequences if left untreated.