[d4rkp4ttern]

Should we assume we are safe if we go hiking in a place where we never brushed against any plants or grass or twigs? In other words we went through woods but only stayed on wide open trails. I assume ticks don’t “fly” in the air ?

[jonstewart]

They like to crawl up and can do so from your ankles/feet, so it’s not a safe assumption. I spray my hiking boots and socks with deet. If I am going to get into brush, I wear permethrin-laced hiking pants and I tuck the cuffs into my socks. Then I take a shower after coming in from outside.

Deer ticks can be tiny, much smaller than wood/dog ticks so just checking yourself isn’t a great form of protection.

[inglor_cz]

Ticks don't fly and they generally dislike sunlit or dry places. They will mostly lurk in darker, wetter places, up to 3 feet from the ground. So a shady tree patch with overgrown grass at the edge of a swamp or creek is much more likely to be thoroughly infested than other places.

Use a repelent, wear some light-colored clothes to spot a crawling tick easily, tuck the (long!) trousers into your hiking shoes and you should be OK.

[jmnicolas]

> Use a repelent

AFAIK permethrin is the only available repellent for ticks but please be aware that it provokes blindness in cats.

[lwn]

'Deet' is also available as repellent against ticks, although less effective. Permethrin is (also) extremely toxic to fish and aquatic life.

[ghaff]

The short answer is "no." You should still do a check. And maybe spray some pemethrin on shoes/socks/trousers

The longer answer is that they're much more likely to get on you if you're walking through tall grass. They're bad this summer and I've mostly gotten them when walking through grass (on a trail I've actually been avoiding). But I have gotten 2 or 3 others.

[darkerside]

Ticks jump quite a distance. I wouldn't use that as the sole basis for assuming I was safe.