Personal Protection Measures to Prevent Tick Bites in Kentucky

Pest Expert Matthew S. Hess – 05/27/2025

As outdoor activities once again become our summer routine, the risk of tick bites increases significantly. Ticks are dangerous and can transmit various diseases, including Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and Alpha-gal, making it important to take steps to protect yourself and your loved ones. Let’s take a look at some of the simplest personal protection measures to prevent tick bites in Kentucky:

Dress Appropriately

Wearing the proper clothing can significantly reduce your exposure to ticks:

• Long Sleeves and Pants: Opt for lightweight, long-sleeved shirts and long pants to cover as much skin as possible.

Covering our skin is a twofold win since we would not only be preventing tick bites, but also blocking out harmful UV rays.

• Light-Colored Clothing: Choose light-colored clothing, which makes it easier to spot ticks before they attach.

Ticks can’t fly or jump so the colors or type of clothing don’t affect whether they can get on your body. Ticks also aren’t attracted to any certain color or type of clothing. Choosing light-colored clothing for you and your family helps make it easy to spot a dark-colored tick against the contrasting light-colored clothing, thereby increasing your chances of spotting a tick before a bite occurs.

• Tuck in Clothing: Tuck your pants into your socks or boots to create a barrier against ticks climbing onto your skin.

This blocks the tick’s entryway to your skin thereby preventing a bite. Additionally, this can help you avoid chiggers, mosquitoes, and even stinging insects.

Use Insect Repellent

Insect repellents are a vital line of defense against ticks. These important products can help prevent dangerous tick bites while allowing you to enjoy the outdoors virtually worry-free. Here are a few tips for using them:

• Choose the Right Repellent: Use an EPA-registered insect repellent containing DEET, picaridin, or oil of lemon eucalyptus.
• Apply Generously: Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for application, ensuring that you cover all exposed skin and clothing.
• Reapply As Directed: Failing to reapply as the label directs could leave you with a false sense of security and potentially allow ticks access to your skin.

Stay on Designated Paths

When hiking or walking in wooded or grassy areas, sticking to designated trails is your best path to stay safe. Ticks are opportunistic insects that wait for passerbys (called questing) to attach to the unsuspecting person or animal. This is much easier in areas where limbs, tall grasses, or other plants provide the necessary cover. Staying on the well-traveled path can reduce your risk of encountering ticks:

• Avoid Tall Grass and Brush: Ticks are often found in tall grass and dense brush where they can easily latch onto passing hosts.
• Stay Centered on Trails: Keep to the center of trails and avoid brushing against vegetation.

Regular Tick Checks

Tick checks should be performed on both yourself and your family after outings, especially when in grassy or wooded areas. Performing regular tick checks is essential for health and safety. Here are a few quick tips for tick checks:

• Check your clothes: If you’ve worn light-colored clothing, a quick look at your clothes will reveal any ticks.
• Pay attention to seed ticks: (tiny nymphal stage of certain ticks. These are often smaller than a pinhead.)
• Check Your Body: After spending time outside, thoroughly check yourself for ticks, paying close attention to areas such as behind the ears, underarms, the groin, and the scalp.
• Check Pets: If you have pets that spend time outdoors, check them regularly for ticks as well. Use a flea and tick prevention product recommended by your veterinarian. Ticks may make their way indoors on pets and find their way to humans.

Create a Tick-Safe Zone at Home

Making your home and yard less inviting to ticks can help reduce the chances of bites. Tick-safe zones can be accomplished by following a few easy steps:

• Landscape Wisely: Keep your yard well-maintained by mowing the lawn regularly and trimming back bushes to reduce tick habitats.
• Remove Leaf Litter: Clear away leaves, tall grass, and brush piles where ticks might thrive.
• Create a Barrier: Consider placing wood chips or gravel between your lawn and wooded areas to create a barrier that ticks may find difficult to cross.
• Trim Trees, Shrubs, and Lawns: Ticks have a much more difficult time surviving in direct sunlight. Removing as much shade as possible and keeping lawns mowed short reduces shade and allows sunlight to come through.

Use Permethrin-Treated Gear

Treating clothing and gear with permethrin can provide additional protection against ticks. Always be sure to follow label directions to ensure the proper use and application of any insecticides or insecticide-treated clothing:

• Pre-Treated Clothing: Look for clothing that is pre-treated with permethrin, or you can treat your own clothing and gear by following the instructions on permethrin products.
• Treat Camping Gear: Consider treating tents, backpacks, and outdoor gear with permethrin to further reduce tick exposure.

Personal protection measures to prevent tick bites in Kentucky aren’t difficult and could save a life! Taking even a few of the provided steps of personal protection can significantly reduce your risk of tick bites and tick-borne illnesses while you enjoy your outdoor activities. Being aware of the dangers and acting proactively instead of reactively is key to reducing your risk and protecting yourself and your loved ones.

Four Seasons Pest Solutions is committed to educating the public about pests and the negative effects they can have on humans, domestic animals, and property. Tick control and tick-borne illnesses are especially important to us because one of our staff members recently contracted Alpha-gal syndrome from a single bite by a Lone Star tick. This employee faced a life-threatening situation before doctors were able to identify the problem. It’s crucial to raise awareness about tick-borne illnesses, as they can be fatal. Be safe out there and remember to protect yourself from ticks! We are dedicated to getting rid of and teaching others how to get rid of ticks, and preventative measures to reduce tick-borne illnesses.