Wear insect repellent approved by the EPA containing DEET, picaridin, IR3535, Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus, or 2-undecanone when going outside. Stay on designated pathways when hiking and avoid brushy or grassy areas to prevent tick bites. Check your body and clothing frequently for ticks while outdoors and when returning home.

1. Wear Insect Repellent
1 First thing, if you’re heading
outside, wear insect repellent —
the national Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC)
recommend using repellents
approved by the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA): one
that contains DEET, picaridin,
IR3535, Oil of Lemon
Eucalyptus, or 2-undecanone.

2. Stay On Designated Pathways2
If you’re hiking or walking in
open space or canyon areas,
stay on designated pathways.
Choose wide trails and walk
in the center. Remember,
ticks “quest” for people and
pets by crawling on leaves of
grass or brush, waiting to
latch on to passers-by.

3. Avoid Grass and Brush; Don’t
Handle Rodents3
Try to stay out of grassy or
brushy areas.
And do not handle wild
rodents. Yes, squirrels are
cute!
But they can come with
their own menagerie of
critters. Ticks, for one.
Fleas that can carry plague
for another.

4. Frequently Check Your Clothing,
Body and Companions for Ticks4
Check yourself and your
companions to make sure ticks
haven’t hitched a ride. Dress for
success. Ticks are small. Wear
light clothing so they’re easier
to spot. Tuck shirts into pants
and pants into socks to keep
ticks away from skin.

5. Leave Pets at Home or Keep Them
Leashed5 Ticks love pets. Leaving them
at home solves the problem.
But if you can’t, keep them
leashed and on the trail.
If your pets haven’t already
been treated with a tick and
flea regimen, use insecticide
powders or sprays labeled for
tick control.

6. When You Get Home, Check
Clothes, Gear and Pets6
Before you head back
inside, double-check
your clothes, gear and
pets for ticks. Ticks can
hitchhike into your
home on clothes and
pets — and bite you
later.

7. If a Tick Bites You or Your Pet,
Don’t Panic7
Just carefully and immediately
remove it. Ticks burrow
partway into the skin to feed.
The CDC recommends
removing ticks by grabbing
them with tweezers as close
to the tick’s head as possible
and pulling out steadily and
firmly.