Preventing Tick Bites Like The Pros – Advice from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources Field Staff
Ixodes scapularis (blacklegged tick). Photo Courtesy of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Visitors to Maryland’s parks and public lands should take steps to prevent tick bites and treat tick bites quickly to protect themselves from Lyme disease, Alpha-gal syndrome and other tick-borne illnesses.
Tick prevention is especially important if you are hiking through the woods or in a meadow or field, as ticks wait on grass and leaves, and attach when a host brushes past. Ticks can’t jump, can’t fly, and they don’t fall out of trees, according to the University of Maryland Extension.
Avoiding tick bites and reacting to them quickly is the best way to prevent tick illness. Ticks are found throughout Maryland, and are active in the spring, summer and fall, though tick bites are possible year-round. Anyone spending time outside should stay vigilant.
Department of Natural Resources staff often work outdoors in remote areas, and have shared their best tips for reducing exposure to tick-related illnesses.
Following these pro tips can help everyone stay vigilant and protect themselves outdoors.
Agro-Forester Francis Smith, left, demonstrates tick safety with hard boots, long sleeves, long pants, and work gloves at White Marsh Park in Centreville in 2023. On the right, a student demonstrates the sock-tucking strategy for tick prevention.
Before you go
When picking an outfit for your trip, choose light colors. Light colors will make it easier to see a tick if one gets on you.
Cover as much skin as possible – wear long sleeves and long pants, and tuck your pants into your socks and your shirt into your pants to maximize skin coverage and minimize entry points to get to your skin. Use skin-safe repellents on any skin that is exposed.
EPA-registered repellents such as DEET, picaridin, or IR3535 can be used as a repellent on skin. Similar to sunscreen, these repellents wash away with water – make sure to reapply, as per label instructions, if you are sweating or swimming.
DNR Agro-Forester Francis Smith tapes his waist and pant cuffs before working in the field, wrapping multiple layers to make sure his skin is sealed inside. He applies the last layer of tape adhesive-side out, a strategy which he says snares any ticks that climb up his legs.
DNR’s Center for Ecological Restoration Director Claudia Donegan uses clothing treated with permethrin, a strong, EPA-approved repellent used to treat clothing, tents, backpacks and other fabric items.
Permethrin spray can be applied to clothes to make them repellent against ticks and mosquitoes, and pretreated clothes are also available from a variety of brands. Permethrin should only be applied to the outside of clothes – follow the instructions on the spray bottle precisely. Once treated, items must be washed separately to ensure permethrin doesn’t leech into other garments. Do not use permethrin on skin.
Claudia Donegan adds sphagnum moss to a wetland project in Bishopville in 2013.
It is also essential to plan a hike that considers tick safety – in the summertime when ticks are out, consider avoiding backcountry or areas without established trails. Staying in the middle of a trail, away from any tall grass, will help reduce exposure to ticks.
If you want to make climbing more difficult for the ticks, consider wearing hard rubber boots, Smith said.
Habitat Restoration Crew member Erin Collins recounts a recent field visit to a newly installed habitat restoration site, where the importance of tucking and boot selection was apparent.
“A few weeks ago, our crew visited a newly installed habitat restoration project. The crew member wearing hiking boots and untucked pants found around 20 ticks crawling on them by the end of the day,” Collins said. “Our other members wore waterproof knee-high boots with pants tucked into their socks and found no ticks.”
When outside
Carrying a lint roller is standard operating procedure for members of the Maryland Geological Survey, according to Resource Assessment Service Director Rich Ortt – it is one of the most highly-recommended strategies on this list.
Maryland Forest Service Recreation Planner Sara Kramer carries a lint roller with her in the field. Tick nymphs, also called seed ticks, can be difficult to see with the naked eye. By sweeping over your arms and legs with a lint roller, you can capture many seed ticks at once. Tape can also be used.
Kramer also carries a tick key. Fitted with a small, teardrop shaped hole, tick keys are a great way to ensure you remove the entirety of a tick. Put the tick through the hole in the key, and pull the key to cinch the tick in the point of the teardrop. Tick keys can be carried on key chains, so you always have one on hand.
Check for ticks every few hours – if you are out all day, consider a check in the mid-morning, at lunch, mid-afternoon, at dinner, and during any break in activity. Senior Restoration Specialist Sarah Hilderbrand says checking often is important, something she learned at the start of her career while serving at an overnight camp in the woods.
“The best way to find a tick is while it’s crawling, before it’s had a chance to bite,” she said.
Dog owners should also check their four-legged friends after any venture outside, and talk with their veterinarian about tick-prevention options for dogs. Pets can carry ticks inside the home.
Erin Collins cleaning wood duck boxes on the lower Eastern Shore in 2025.
After Hike
When you have concluded your hike, after checking for ticks again, consider changing into a set of fresh clothing. Ticks can fall off while you drive, and they could bite you or another person in your vehicle, according to Donegan.
She suggests putting used clothes in a plastic bag, then placing the bag in the rear of your vehicle.
When you get home, wash the items with hot water. If you cannot use hot water, dry clothes in a machine on high heat setting for at least 10 minutes – exposure to extreme temperatures will kill the ticks. Remember not to mix regular clothes with items treated with permethrin.
Shake out and inspect pet leashes, harnesses, and seat covers.
You should shower as soon as possible – another great time to check for ticks.
If you find a tick, remove it right away and report the exposure to your doctor.
About ticks
Ticks are tiny arachnids that suck blood from hosts to fuel their life cycle. They can carry and transmit a number of diseases, including Lyme disease, a serious condition that can affect the health of your brain, joints, and heart. Instances of Lyme disease in Maryland tripled between 2021 and 2024, according to Maryland Health Department data.
Anaplasmosis, Erlichiosis, Babesiosis, Spotted Fever Rickettsiosis, Alpha-gal syndrome, Powassan Virus, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Southern Tick-Associated Rash Illness (STARI), and Tularemia are among the illnesses that can be contracted from tick bites.
Maryland has six varieties of ticks, all with four life cycle stages: egg, larva, nymph, and adult. According to the University of Maryland Extension, ticks need three blood meals to advance through their life cycle – ticks change appearance when feasting, often tripling in size as they fill with blood.
More visual examples of ticks in different stages can be found on the University of Maryland Extension website.
To learn more about tickborne diseases and ways to protect your family and pets, visit the Maryland Department of Health at health.maryland.gov/tick.
By National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (U.S.). Division of Vector-Borne Diseases.
