Ticks are the very well-known external parasites that you can encounter in areas with grass, trees and bushes. They are usually found in humid and warm environments, and their main source of sustenance is the blood which they draw from birds, mammals, amphibians and reptiles. Extra care should be taken when traversing terrain with dense growth and vegetation, since this is their preferred hiding places.
They are somewhat infamous for carrying deadly diseases and viruses, such as Powassan and Lyme, but there are certain things you can do to avoid getting them on your skin. Ticks initially can be hard to spot, but if they already started sucking blood then you will notice their flat bodies starting to swell. They are rather difficult to kill outright, as their flat bodies are quite hard.
The simplest way to avoid getting in contact with one is to simply not walk in dense vegetation, and sticking to roads or low-grass paths. What you can do is also wear clothing that covers as much of your skin as possible. Just because it’s a warm day, does not mean you should go running through thick grass with knee-length pants and just a shirt on.
If you happen to have one that already bit you, then you will want to use forceps or tweezers to remove it. Gently pull at the base of their heads. The main reason you do not want to forcefully pull or squeeze is that it might cause the insides of the tick to be forced inside your skin, which is not desirable in the slightest. Alternatively, you can try and use other tools you might have to force the mandibles out of your skin, similar to how you’d use a crowbar. There are also numerous protective sprays that you can purchase which will act as an insecticide and repellent for the ticks.
