On People

Minimize your risk! Ticks are primarily active in warmer months (April – September).

  1. Avoid contact: avoid walking in tick-infested areas, walk in the center of mowed trails and avoid leaf litter and tall grass.
  2. Protect yourself! Wear protective clothing. Wear clothes that shield you from ticks (for example, long-sleeved shirt, pants tucked into socks) and make ticks easy to see (wear light-colored clothing). Wear permethrin-treated clothing, it both repels and kills ticks upon contact, however don’t put permethrin on your skin. protective clothing
  3. Protect yourself! Use insect repellent. Use insect repellent on skin or clothing. For example, products with 20% or more Picaridin, DEET, IR3535, Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus (OLE), para-menthane-diol (PMD), or 2-undecanone have been proven to repel ticks, but they do not kill ticks. Follow the instructions on label of the product you use.  Find the right repellent to use.
  4. Check yourself & your gear. After being outdoors, shower or bathe to rinse off ticks and to check for ticks. Use a mirror or ask for assistance to view all parts of the body, for example scalp, armpits, behind the knees. Check your gear too. Tumble dry gear on high heat for 60 minutes or longer to kill ticks.

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