Tick Checks & Other Ways to Enjoy the Outdoors During Tick Season

From furry to scaly, spending time outdoors means potentially coming into contact with critters. Although small, ticks pose a mighty challenge to fully enjoying a day spent outdoors.

The habitat and seasonality of ticks are expanding—meaning now, more than ever, is an important time to get serious about tick safety. Before you head out, it’s important to consider your risk level for encountering ticks, and how your gear is mitigating the risk of attracting a bite.

“Tick season” generally refers to the months between April and July, however ticks are also highly active between October and November. Throughout these months, it’s important to remember that ticks prefer environments such as fields or meadows with tall grass to chomp down on unsuspecting hosts. Consider sticking to well-manicured paths, or wearing lighter-colored outerwear to easily spot these unwelcome hitchhikers.

If you’re keen on summertime frolicking, and are against the idea of the beaten path - more power to ya! That being said, there remain steps you can take to decrease the likelihood of picking up a tick while you’re out exploring.

1. Tick Repellent

Mimikai’s plant-based solution has been proven to be as effective as DEET, and is EPA registered for protection against Lyme disease. This fragrance-free spray keeps you covered for four hours, and supports skin health!

Ben’s Tick Repellent provides twelve hours of tick protection, for enjoying full days outdoors without having to worry about tick-borne diseases. Ben’s is also EPA registered and contains ingredients recommended by the CDC to repel disease-carrying ticks.

2. Boot Gaiters

Ticks commonly gain access to skin by entering up the pant legs of unsuspecting hikers. For adventures deep in the backcountry, boot gaiters serve as an additional barrier between you and ticks.

For your four-legged friends, Ben’s permethrin-treated Bandana is a long-lasting shield from disease-carrying ticks.

3. Tick Check!

That’s right - a good ol’-fashioned tick check! Ticks are clever in that they will commonly select difficult-to-see areas on your body to bite such as the back of your knees, armpits and scalp. If you have access to a shower, that’s a great time to conduct a thorough check of your body.

If you’re not planning on showering after a day of frolicking, ask a partner or friend to carefully check areas of your body which you aren’t able to.

4. Tick Key

The Liberty Mountain Original Tick Key is a safe and effective way of removing ticks from your skin. A tick needs to be attached to skin for 24 to 36 hours in order to transmit enough bacteria to result in a disease.

If you do find and remove a tick after a day outdoors, make sure to thoroughly wash your hands and the location of the bite with warm water and soap. Using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer will also decrease the likelihood of illness. In the following days and weeks, check in with yourself about how you’re feeling and consult a medical professional if you believe you’re experiencing any symptoms related to tick borne illnesses.