Ticks do not jump. They lack the physical anatomy required for jumping or flying. Instead, ticks are adept at crawling and climbing, relying on other methods to find and attach to hosts. Their movement is slow and deliberate, focusing on strategic positioning.
How Ticks Seek and Attach to Hosts
Ticks employ a behavior called “questing” to find a host. They position themselves on low vegetation and extend their first pair of legs outward. When a potential host brushes against the vegetation, the tick quickly latches on using specialized claws and sticky pads on their legs.
Once on a host, ticks do not immediately bite. They crawl across the body, seeking warm, moist, and concealed areas with thinner skin, such as behind the ears, underarms, or in the groin. Ticks possess sensory organs, including Haller’s organ on their forelegs, which detect cues like carbon dioxide, body heat, moisture, vibrations, and shadows from a passing host.
Upon finding a suitable feeding site, the tick uses its mouthparts to cut into the skin and insert a barbed feeding tube, known as a hypostome. This tube anchors the tick in place while it feeds on blood. Many species also secrete a cement-like substance and saliva with anesthetic properties, preventing the host from feeling the bite and helping the tick remain attached for days.
Preventing Tick Encounters
Preventing tick bites involves personal protective measures and environmental management. When spending time outdoors, especially in wooded or grassy areas, wear appropriate clothing to reduce exposure. This includes long-sleeved shirts, long pants tucked into socks, and light-colored clothing, which makes ticks easier to spot.
Using EPA-registered insect repellents is an effective strategy. Products with active ingredients like DEET or picaridin deter ticks from attaching to exposed skin. Permethrin-treated clothing also provides a protective barrier, killing ticks on contact and remaining effective through several washes.
After outdoor activities, conduct a thorough tick check for early detection and removal. Areas to inspect include:
- Hairline
- Behind the ears
- Underarms
- Inside the belly button
- Around the waist
- Behind the knees
- Between the toes
Promptly showering after returning indoors can also help wash off unattached ticks. Maintaining your yard by regularly mowing lawns, clearing leaf litter, and removing tall grasses and brush can reduce tick habitats around your home. Creating barriers of wood chips or gravel between lawns and wooded areas can also help restrict tick migration.