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New Castle County
A northern New Castle County community named for Pike Creek, a tributary of White Clay Creek, in a watershed with the most extensive mature Piedmont forest left in Delaware.
Pike Creek is in northern New Castle County and is a tributary of White Clay Creek, according to DNREC. In 2000, White Clay Creek and its tributaries — including all of Pike Creek — were added to the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service notes that the watershed holds the most extensive mature Piedmont forests remaining in Delaware and flows through southwestern Chester County, Pennsylvania, and northwestern New Castle County. White Clay Creek State Park’s woodlands and stream valleys span the piedmont ridges along Delaware’s northern edge, covering more than 3,600 acres.
Forest, stream valleys and wooded backyards make ticks the pest to plan around here. DNREC says blacklegged ticks are common in forested areas and woody edges statewide and that their adults are most active in the late fall and winter, while longhorned ticks turn up in New Castle and Kent counties in spring and summer. Wet woodlands are one of the habitats DNREC’s Mosquito Control Section monitors for mosquitoes. Northern New Castle County is also where spotted lanternfly was first detected in Delaware.
Deer ticks carry Lyme. Found in tall grass, leaf litter and wooded edges.
Peak: Apr – Jul, Oct – NovTreated by Mosquito & Pest AuthorityInvasive tick found in New Castle and Kent counties. Rarely bites people; hard on livestock.
Peak: Apr – Aug
Salt marsh and backyard breeders. Worst near standing water and the coast.
Peak: Jun – AugTreated by Mosquito & Pest Authority
Invasive planthopper spreading south. Report and destroy egg masses.
Peak: Jul – OctTreated by Mosquito & Pest Authority
Gather on sunny walls in fall and slip in around windows.
Peak: Sep – NovTreated by Mosquito & Pest Authority
Move inside as nights cool. Droppings and gnawing are the first signs.
Peak: Oct – FebTreated by Mosquito & Pest AuthoritySponsored partners serving Pike Creek
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Very. Blacklegged ticks, which can carry the pathogens that cause Lyme disease, anaplasmosis and babesiosis, are common in forested areas and woody edges statewide. DNREC says ticks can be active year-round, so check yourself, kids and pets after every hike.
The Delaware Department of Agriculture says spotted lanternfly was first detected in New Castle County and is now confirmed in all three counties, with the quarantine covering the entire state. Destroy nymphs, adults and egg masses, and inspect vehicles before you travel.
DNREC’s tick program has an online tick identification form at de.gov/ticks; a photo of the top of the tick helps. Delaware does not offer tick pathogen testing.