How to Prevent Tick Bites While Camping

Camping in the woods can be a fun activity for the whole family, but it can be a risky endeavor in wooded, moist areas where ticks thrive. Ticks transmit potentially serious blood borne diseases to humans and pets that range from Lyme Disease to Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. To enjoy yourself during your outdoor adventures, take measures to prevent tick bites while camping.

Method 1 - Avoiding Areas with Ticks

1

→ Steer clear of shady, wooded areas. Ticks like moist and shady environments, so dark, wooded locations are ideal places for them to live. Avoiding these spaces will reduce your risk of exposure.

→ Ticks can easily dry out, so the woods provide them with protection from sun and wind.

→ Ticks do not drop on you from trees, but they often attach at ground level and crawl upwards.

2

→ Give piles of leaves a wide berth. Ticks like to hide in piles of decomposing or rotting leaves, because these environments are humid and dark. As a result, it’s a good idea to avoid standing or sitting in these places.

→ Don’t pitch your tent or set up camp in a location with leaf litter.

→ Make sure you bring camp chairs so you can avoid sitting on the ground.

3

→ Stay away from high grasses. Try not to walk in areas with high grass or vegetation, because ticks often rest on grasses, waiting for a host (an animal or human) to walk past or brush against the grass so they can attach.

→ Ticks hang on to the grass with their hind legs while holding front legs out so they can more easily attach to a new host.

→ Experts call this behavior “questing.”

4

→ Seek out sunny areas. Ticks prefer shade and moisture, so remaining in sunny areas will reduce the risk of tick exposure.

→ Ticks, especially the younger nymphs, can’t survive long in areas with low humidity because they dry out.

→ To decrease the risk of tick bites, choose a camping spot in a dry, sunny location.

5

→ Walk in the center of trails and clearings. Staying on the path and in cleared areas will help keep you away from ticks.

→ Cleared areas do not have the shade, humidity, and vegetation that ticks prefer.

→ Parks and other campgrounds are also more likely to spray in these areas to eliminate ticks.

→ Going off trails and outside of designated areas increases the risk of tick bites.

6

→ Check with park staff. If you are camping in a state park or official recreation area, check in with staff to ask about the best place to camp to avoid ticks.

→ It’s easier to call in advance so you can plan accordingly.

→ Park websites often post announcements and alerts about ticks, so do some research before you arrive.

7

→ Protect your pet from ticks. Animals are very susceptible to tick bites and tick-borne illnesses. Ticks can also attach themselves to your pets before moving on to human hosts.

→ If you take your pets with you camping, make sure to keep them on a leash and away from areas where ticks are likely to be found.

→ Ticks can be difficult to detect on pets, so check regularly and thoroughly when outdoors.

→ Talk with your veterinarian about tick prevention for your pet before going on a camping trip.

→ There are many different tick-prevention options for pets such as creams, collars, and pills.

Method 2 - Dressing for Tick Prevention

1

→ Choose long-sleeved shirts and pants. Although ticks can crawl under clothes easily, you reduce the risk of tick bites by covering more skin and making it harder for ticks to attach themselves to the skin.

→ Tuck your pants into your socks and tuck your shirt into your pants to keep ticks from getting inside your clothes.

→ For extra protection, wrap masking tape around where the pant leg cuffs are tucked into your socks to keep them secure from ticks, which are usually at ground level.

2

→ Wear a hat. Cover your head with a hat or kerchief to provide additional protection from ticks.

→ Ticks do not drop on you from trees, but they can crawl very effectively.

→ They like to attach around your head or ears because the skin is thinner in these locations and hosts often have trouble reaching or grooming these areas.

3

→ Secure long hair. If you have long hair, it’s a good idea to cover, braid, or tie it so that it is secure and you don’t brush against areas where ticks might be located.

→ You don’t want to give ticks anything else to crawl on.

→ This also makes it easier to check for ticks.

4

→ Select light-colored clothing. Ticks are easier to spot when they land on light colors.

→ Nymphal ticks, or baby ticks, can be as small as a poppy seed, and the lighter your clothes, the easier time you will have locating the tick.

→ Although you should wear pants and long sleeves to prevent tick exposure, wearing lighter-colored clothing will help you stay cool when it’s warm outside.

5

→ Invest in clothing treated to repel ticks. One of the most effective ways to prevent tick bites is to purchase clothes that have already been treated with permethrin, an effective tick repellent that kills ticks on contact.

→ The repellent is odorless and invisible.

→ Clothing that has been commercially treated is effective after up to 70 washings.

→ If you are concerned about the risks of applying sprays and chemicals directly to your skin, this is a good alternative option.

→ You can also purchase permethrin kits to treat your clothes at home, but these applications are not usually as long lasting.

→ Tick-repellent clothing and kits to treat clothing can be found in sporting goods stores and are also available online from a number of retailers.

Method 3 - Selecting and Applying Repellent

1

→ Locate an effective repellent. Do not assume that an insect repellent works against ticks. Make sure you read the label to verify the product is effective at repelling ticks.

→ Effective tick-prevention products that you apply to the skin generally contain DEET.

→ The CDC recommends repellents that contain 20% or more of DEET.

2

→ Follow the product instructions. These repellents contain potentially dangerous chemicals and should be applied carefully, making sure to follow the product’s specific instructions.

→ Avoid the hands, eyes, and mouth.

→ It’s a good idea to talk with your child’s pediatrician or a medical professional about the safety of using these products on children.

→ If you are pregnant, check with your doctor about whether it is safe to use this product.

→ Reapply the product every few hours or as instructed.

→ Wash the repellent off when you go indoors.

3

→ Don’t forget to apply repellent to your shoes. Ticks are often located at the ground level, and spraying your shoes with repellent will greatly reduce your risk of tick exposure.

→ Think of this as one of the first lines of defense to prevent tick bites.

4

→ Treat clothes and fabrics with products that contain permethrin. Permethrin has been shown to be highly effective at repelling and killing ticks, but it should not be applied directly to the skin. Instead, you apply the product to clothing and it offers protection through multiple washings.

→ You can find repellents with permethrin at sporting goods, camping stores, and online.

→ Read and follow product instructions.

→ Don’t forget to apply the repellent to the inside of your clothes to prevent tick bites if ticks crawl under clothing.

→ If you would rather not apply the product yourself, you can research and purchase clothing that has already been treated.

→ Clothing that has been commercially treated with permethrin, usually offers longer-lasting protection through more washes.

5

→ Research and try natural tick repellents. If you have concerns about the potential health risks of applying chemicals directly to your skin or on your clothing, try researching and testing natural tick repellents.There are many different products you can purchase or recipes that you can make at home that claim to repel ticks.

→ Many of these products and recipes contain essential oils such as lavender, rose, geranium, and cedarwood.

→ As with any product, read and follow the instructions carefully.

→ It’s better to be cautious and talk with your doctor and/or veterinarian before applying natural or homemade products to your children or pets.

6

→ Don’t treat your pets with the same repellent you use. Repellents that are safe for you are not necessarily safe for your pets. Make sure you apply a product that says it is safe to apply to pets.

→ It’s best to talk with your veterinarian about the right tick-preventative for your pet.

→ Products are available in many different forms such as creams, collars, or pills.

→ Many pet stores carry products to repel ticks, but veterinarians can make sure you know how much to use and offer tips on application.

Method 4 - Checking for Ticks

1

→ Check yourself and your animals/companions for ticks every 2 to 3 hours. A tick must bite a person or pet to transmit disease, so by checking yourself constantly during your camping trip, the chances of contracting a tick disease are significantly reduced. When you check for ticks make sure to look in these places:

→ Under arms and on the backs of knees

→ Inside your belly button

→ Around your waist

→ Between your legs

→ In and around your ears

→ A hand-held or full-body mirror can make checking for ticks easier.

2

→ Shower as soon as you can. Although it can be difficult while camping, taking a shower or bathing will help you locate and remove any unattached ticks.

→ This is a good time to perform a tick check.

3

→ Run your clothes through the dryer as soon as you return home. To kill ticks that might be on your clothes, dry clothing as soon as you come home from your camping trip.

→ Dry the clothes on high heat for 10-15 minutes.

→ Do this before washing the clothes, since research has shown ticks are not killed by washing (even in hot water).

→ Don’t leave your clothing sitting in a pile or stick it in a hamper.

4

→ Remove any ticks you find on your clothing. To remove ticks that aren't attached, place duct tape over them and pull them off the skin or clothing with the tape. Then, fold the tape over itself and toss it in the trash.

→ Bring a roll of duct tape on your trip so you are prepared.

→ A lint roller also works well for removing unattached ticks.

5

→ Extract attached ticks. If the tick has already attached itself to your skin, use tweezers to grab its body and pull it directly up and away.

→ Tweezers with pointed ends work best so you can grab and hold on to the tick more easily.

→ If the tweezers are not pointed, you can tear the tick during removal, which increases the risk of spreading disease.

→ Never twist the tick or try to coax it off using heat or solvents.

→ Follow up by swabbing the area with rubbing alcohol to disinfect.

→ You can also apply an antibiotic cream or ointment to the site of the tick bite.

TIPS

→ Bring pointed tweezers and a plastic bag with you when camping in case you need to remove an attached tick.

Warnings

→ Killing a tick with your bare hands transmits disease. Always use a tool to remove the tick and wash your hands when you're done.

→ Carefully follow instructions on tick repellent products.

→ Don’t apply products with permethrin to the skin. Use these products on fabric or clothing.

→ Check with your doctor or veterinarian before applying tick repellent to pregnant women, children, or pets.