Prevention Center
The best Lyme is the one you never get
Prevention isn't glamorous, but it genuinely works. Here's how to protect yourself, your kids, and your pets — season by season.
Tick risk through the year
Spring
Nymph season begins — the tiny, hardest-to-spot ticks are most active. Ramp up checks.
Summer
Peak nymph activity and peak outdoor time. Repellent + daily checks are essential.
Fall
Adult ticks are active, especially on warm days. Yard cleanup reduces overwintering ticks.
Winter
Risk drops but isn't zero — adult ticks can be active any day above freezing.
Best repellents
Use EPA-registered repellents — DEET (20%+), picaridin, or oil of lemon eucalyptus — on skin, and treat clothing and gear with permethrin (never on skin). Permethrin-treated clothing kills ticks on contact and survives several washes.
The daily tick check
After time outdoors, check warm hidden spots: scalp and hairline, behind the ears, underarms, belly button, waistband, groin, and behind the knees. Nymphs are the size of a poppy seed — use fingertips as well as eyes. Shower within two hours to wash off unattached ticks.
Yard prevention
Mow regularly, clear leaf litter, and create a mulch or gravel barrier between lawn and woods. Keep play sets and patios away from the yard edge, and discourage deer and rodents that carry ticks.
Hiking checklist
Stay to the center of trails, wear light-colored clothing to spot ticks, tuck pants into socks, pre-treat gear with permethrin, and do a thorough check the moment you get back to the car.
Protecting kids
Children are bitten most often on the head and neck. Check them head-to-toe after outdoor play, dress them in long sleeves and tucked pants in tick habitat, and use age-appropriate repellents per the label.
Dogs & pets
Pets bring ticks indoors. Use veterinarian-approved tick prevention year-round, check your dog after walks (ears, toes, collar area), and keep grass short where they roam.
Camping
Pre-treat tents, sleeping bags, and clothing with permethrin, keep sleeping areas off the ground where possible, and build a nightly tick check into the routine for everyone.
After a bite: first 72 hours
Remove the tick immediately with fine-tipped tweezers, pulling straight up. Save it, note the date, and watch for any expanding rash, fever, or flu-like symptoms. Contact a knowledgeable clinician promptly — don't 'wait and see' if you're worried.
Frequently asked questions
What's the most effective tick repellent?
For skin, EPA-registered repellents with DEET, picaridin, or oil of lemon eucalyptus work well. For the strongest protection, treat clothing and gear with permethrin, which kills ticks on contact — but never apply permethrin directly to skin.
How long does a tick need to be attached to transmit disease?
Risk generally rises the longer a tick is attached, and the often-cited 36–48 hours is a guideline, not a guarantee of safety before then. Some pathogens, like Powassan virus, can transmit in as little as 15 minutes — which is why immediate removal matters.
Found a tick? Learn how to remove it safely and what to watch for.
Tick removal guideAlso see: identify a tick · where ticks live