Lyme Disease Awareness Month (LDAM)

The 2025 Lyme Disease Awareness Month theme is: Don't Let a Tick Make You Sick

Learn more about Lyme Disease Awareness Month and how to get involved:

About LDAM

Maine CDC observes Lyme Disease Awareness Month during May every year. Maine CDC encourages everyone to enjoy the outdoors during the entire year, while also protecting themselves from ticks:

  • forest

    Know when you are in tick habitat and use caution.

  • long pants

    Wear light-colored clothing that covers your arms and legs.

  • repellent

    Use an EPA-approved repellent such as DEET, picaridin, IR3535, or oil of lemon eucalyptus on skin. Use permethrin on clothing.

  • magnifying glass

    Perform tick checks after any outdoor activity. Take a shower after exposure to tick habitat to wash off any crawling ticks.

Governor's Proclamation of May as Lyme Disease Awareness Month

Activities and Events

Social Media Toolkit

Click the images below for larger shareable graphics perfect for use on social media (JPGs).

Image Suggested Social Media Text
Suggested Text: May is Lyme Disease Awareness Month! We urge everyone to prevent tick bites. Don't let a little tick cause a big problem! Learn more at www.maine.gov/lyme.
Suggested Text: Identifying a tick by size is not always a good way to know the type of tick. Ticks can be different sizes based on how long they have been feeding. Focus on the color and pattern on the back shield to identify your tick. Learn more at www.maine.gov/lyme.
Suggested Text: Deer ticks come in more than one size. Deer tick nymphs, or teenage ticks, are only the size of a poppy seed. Make sure you look closely when you do your tick check! Learn more at www.maine.gov/lyme.
Suggested Text: The bull's-eye rash is the most common symptom of Lyme disease. It is a rash that slowly expands in size. It can appear anywhere on the body, not just at the site of a tick bite. Learn more at www.maine.gov/lyme.
Suggested Text: The Lyme disease bull's-eye rash may look slightly different depending on where it is on the body. Look for a rash that expands slowly in size. Learn more at www.maine.gov/lyme.
Suggested Text: Can you tell the difference between a deer tick and an American dog tick? Use the color and decoration on the shield on the back and body color to deterine which tick you are dealing with. Learn more at www.maine.gov/lyme.
Suggested Text: As you explore and enjoy Maine, make sure to be tick free! Use caution in tick habitat, wear protective clothing, use EPA-approved repellents, and do tick check every day. Learn more this Lyme Disease Awareness Month at www.maine.gov/lyme/month.

Share the tickborne disease prevention videos below on social media.

Video Video Link and Suggested Social Media Text

Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXibyNF002A


Suggested Text: In Maine, ticks can be active all year long, but are most active between early spring and late fall. Watch this video to learn simple steps to help you prevent tick bites.

Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ay37948hTWo


Suggested Text: Do you check for ticks daily? It is important to do a daily tick check to help prevent tickborne diseases. Watch this video to learn how to do your best tick check. Learn more at www.maine.gov/dhhs/vectorborne.

Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45BVWPE-sOo-


Suggested Text: It takes time for most tickborne germs to spread to you during a bite. This is why it is important to remove ticks as soon as possible. Avoid using folk remedies like petroleum jelly, matches, or nail polish to remove a tick. Watch this video to learn more.

Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a68PfmY9fsg&list=PLuTLj1WGRlCIHnr7ljGlzmPU3LDJHMW-H&index=19


Suggested Text: Adults 65 years and older are at highest risk for tickborne diseases in Maine. This includes Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, and babesiosis. Make sure to use tick prevention, as all these diseases are on the rise. Learn more at www.maine.gov/dhhs/vectorborne.

Newsletters

Does your organization share a newsletter with members? Promote Lyme Disease Awareness Month (LDAM) and tick bite prevention with these materials:

Youth Curriculum

Do you have or work with children ages 5 to 14 years old? Maine CDC developed a tick curriculum including videos and activities for children to help them learn more about ticks, the diseases they can spread, and prevention. Students, teachers, youth organizations, and parents are welcome to use this curriculum to help youth learn how they can stay safe from ticks and tickborne diseases.

Poster Contest

Lyme Disease Awareness Month Poster Contest Instructions

The theme for the 16th annual Lyme Disease Awareness Month poster contest is: Don't Let a Tick Make You Sick

2025 LDAM K-8 Poster Contest Rules:

  • Eligibility: Contest is open to any child in Maine, Kindergarten through 8th grade or equivalent age.
  • Number of Entries: Submit only one entry per child.
  • Release: All poster submissions must be accompanied by a signed waiver: LDAM Poster Contest 2025 Waiver (Word) | (PDF)
  • Deadline: Entries must be received by Maine CDC by Wednesday, April 30, 2025. See address below.
  • Judging: Maine CDC employees judge and vote on winning posters.
  • Winners and Recognition: Maine CDC will notify winners by Monday, May 19, 2025.A total of 4 winners will be chosen (one each for grades K-1, 2-3, 4-5, and 6-8). Winners receive a one-day family pass to a Maine State Park of their choice, as well as tick removal kits for their classroom or family.
  • Property: All posters become property of Maine CDC and will not be returned. Maine CDC may duplicate the posters to use as part of the Lyme Disease Awareness promotional efforts, but in no instance will this involve monetary transactions. If a child/parent/guardian does not want the poster to be duplicated, "DO NOT DUPLICATE" must be printed on the back of the poster.
  • Poster Submission
    • Print this information on the back of each poster entry: Child's name, school name, grade, child's address, teacher's name, contact phone number.
    • Send poster entries to:

        • Infectious Disease Epidemiology

        Maine CDC

        286 Water St., 6th Floor

        Augusta, ME 04333-0011

  • Poster Design:
    • Art Medium: Posters may use drawing, painting, photography, or other digital medium. Submission must be original work by the child. No AI generated art accepted.
    • Size: Maximum size is 12x18 inches. Please do not laminate or mount posters.
    • Posters should illustrate at least one of the four personal prevention techniques:
        1. Know when you are in tick habitat and use caution.
        2. Wear light-colored clothing that covers your arms and legs.
        3. Use an EPA-approved repellent (DEET, picaridin, IR3535, or oil of lemon eucalyptus).
        4. Perform tick checks after any outdoor activity. Take a shower after exposure to wash off any crawling ticks.

Questions? Email disease.reporting@maine.gov with the subject line "Poster Contest".

For more information about tick prevention, please visit Tick Prevention and Property Management.

2024 Poster Contest Winners

Participants for the 2024 “Little Tick, Big Deal” poster contest include:

Name School Grade
Harper Teixeira Girl Scout Troop 1561 Kindergarten
Aspen Browning Girl Scout Troop 1561 1
Zelma Young Girl Scout Troop 1561 1
William Meuse Searsport Elementary School 1
Eva Stevenson Girl Scout Troop 1561 2
Grace Innis Giarl Scout Troop 1561 2
Koraline Whitmore Girl Scout Troop 1561 2
Lydia Bishop Girl Scout Troop 1561 2
Caroline Cook Homeschooled 3
Megan Stephenson Marcia Buker Elementary School 4
Layla Mckenna Marcia Buker Elementary School 4
Molly Decker Marcia Buker Elementary School 4
Freya Coffin Girl Scout Troop 1561 4
Daniella Farquharson Girl Scout Troop 1561 5
Keira Letendre Marcia Buker Elementary School 5
Whitney Pipes Katahdin Middle and High School 6
Jaidyn Mooney Girl Scout Troop 1561 6
Mary Mena Westbrook Middle School 6
Homero Zambrano Cajilema Westbrook Middle School 6
Nicholas McNally Katahdin Middle and High School 7
Nate Berube Katahdin Middle and High School 7
Anthony Hayman Katahdin Middle and High School 7
Melanie Libby Katahdin Middle and High School 7
Lillian King Gorham Middle School 7
Jess Loiselle Gorham Middle Schol 7
Leila Schmoyer Gorham Middle School 7
Lucia Maxime Westbrook Middle School 7
Kylie Welch Katahdin Middle and High School 8
Chandler Libby Katahdin Middle and High School 8
Esther Raul Westbrook Middle School 8
Emma Dosova Westbrook Middle School 8
Mohanad Abd El Mola Westbrook Middle School 8

Lyme Disease Awareness Poster Gallery