One of the most annoying pests is the tick. These small arachnids are parasites well known for transmitting dangerous diseases to humans and pets.
Ticks are mites and have 3 life stages, and only feed 3 times in their whole life! The ticks found on humans are adult ticks, feeding for the final time. These adult ticks like to feed on larger mammals like deer, so in suburbs where there are not as many deer or other large mammals to feed on, ticks tend to bite humans more often.
Ticks get onto their host by jumping from low shrubs or grasses. Thus, if you are on a trail, make sure to stay in the middle, away from the edges where the ticks may be hiding. In addition, avoid fields of tall grasses, where ticks tend to be super prevalent.
When hiking, it is best to wear pants and long-sleeved shirts. Tuck the shirt in and put your socks over your pants. The ticks cannot burrow through your clothes, so having minimal openings can help prevent the tick from reaching your body.
After hiking, make sure to do a tick check! Check your whole body, but especially these parts:
- Under the arms
- In and around the ears
- Inside belly button
- Back of the knees
- In and around the hair
- Between the legs
- Around the waist
A good place to do this is in the shower (and showering can also remove ticks you didn’t find yourself!). Also, check your clothes for ticks, and dry them in a dryer for at least 10 minutes to kill any ticks you didn’t see on them.
If you find a tick on yourself, be careful removing it! You do not want to rip the tick in half when removing it. Follow the CDC guidelines for removing ticks, found here.
Once you remove the tick, do not flush it immediately! Many states in the USA encourage sending the tick into a lab! The lab will determine whether the tick has any diseases, which helps you know if you need to see a doctor and helps the state know the rates of diseases in ticks. Search ‘your state tick testing’ to see if your state offers this. If they don’t make sure to safely dispose of the tick by flushing it down the toilet or putting it in a bottle of alcohol.
Ticks can also be very dangerous to pets like dogs. If you bring your dog hiking, make sure to check it for ticks as well. Make sure to give these parts of your dog special attention:
- Underneath the tail
- Underneath the ears
- Under the collar
- Between the front and back legs
- Between the toes
- Around the eyelids
If you find a tick, remove it as soon as possible.
If you are a frequent hiker, have a great fear of ticks, or have to work in fields where ticks are prevalent, consider applying Permethrin to your clothes. Permethrin kills pests like mosquitoes and ticks straight up. You can see instructions on how to apply permethrin here. Be careful when applying it though, as it is toxic to pets. Otherwise, try using one of the EPA-approved insect repellents.
There are also many tick prevention products for your pet. Your veterinarian will know the best products for your area of the world.
With knowledge of how ticks tick, you can avoid them! Be safe while hiking!
