Ticks can thrive in a variety of environments. Ostfeld says that it’s important to remember that different species of ticks use different types of habitats, so just because you don’t find yourself on a forest walk doesn’t mean you can’t be exposed to ticks.
“Black-legged (deer) ticks can be found in thickets and coastal areas, or in grasses and herbaceous vegetation,” Ostfeld says. “But they’re predominantly forest creatures.”
These ticks are also crawlers — and slow ones at that, says Ostfeld. To get onto your body, ticks like to climb over low plants, foliage, logs, or other close-to-the-ground objects.
From there, they grasp the object with their back legs while reaching out with their front legs, which researchers call “questing.”
“When they get on your clothes or body, they tend to crawl upwards to find an ideal spot to embed their mouthparts and attach,” Ostfeld says. “These spots are often in the armpits, groin, back, or neck.”
Brushy and heavily wooded areas are prime real estate for ticks. Being aware of your risk in those environments is your best defense, Ostfeld says. When you do venture into such areas, use repellents, wear long pants and boots, and take them off as soon as you get home.
Ostfeld recommends throwing any clothing you were wearing into the dryer — turned to high heat — as soon as possible. Ticks love humidity, and they’ve been shown to survive washing and drying. But if you toss your clothes in the dryer without wetting them, the dry, hot conditions should kill them off, he says.
You can also use bug repellents to effectively keep ticks away, he says. A chemical called permethrin is available as a spray, and when applied to your boots or hiking pants, it can kill ticks on contact.
