In cold or freezing temperatures ticks will take shelter under leaf or forest litter. On days when the sun is shining and temperatures warm above 40 degrees, ticks will climb upward to find a suitable host. Protect yourself by:
- Dressing. When in known tick areas, dress wearing light colored clothing, long sleeves, tuck pants into socks. Stay on paths.
- Removing. Remove ticks as soon as possible. After coming indoors shower and perform full-body tick checks. Use fine-tipped tweezers to remove embedded ticks.
- Killing. Kill ticks on exposed clothing by tumbling in a dryer set on high heat for at least 10 minutes.
- Checking. Check your pets that frequent the outside. Check their bedding as well!
- Choosing. Choose appropriate Insect Repellents.
Learn more about tick-borne disease, prevention and removal.
Questions? Please email or call 518-402-8748.
—Submitted by New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
