This Crafty Hack Could Help Keep Ticks Off Next Time You Go Hiking

There are few things more insidious than the parasitic little arachnid known as a tick. When these small, creeping little critters find their way onto a warm-blooded animal, human or otherwise, they bite down and often don't want to let go.

In the nymph stage of a tick's life cycle, they are so small that they might not even be perceivable without close inspection. Anyone who has ever spent any time outdoors camping or hiking in the woods knows just how easy it is for these creatures to hop on and hang on.

We really like to spend time in Hoosier National Forest and every time Shawn and I go camping, we always have to check each other's hair and scalp for ticks, just as a precaution. The bite of a tick's tiny mouth can spread infectious diseases that are harmful to humans - like Lyme Disease. So obviously keeping them off of us and preventing bites is really important.

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Of course, there are repellent sprays that can be purchased and we do use those, but I came across a post on social media of a rather cunning and crafty hack that I thought worth sharing with you. The post, from McCormack's Bee Farm, in New Hampshire, shows a person's ankle and foot. Around the ankle is the tape that has been wrapped sticky side out. If you were to do this and walk through tall grass, any ticks you encounter that might normally grab onto your pant leg and then crawl to some other part of the body is instead, stuck to the tape instead.

I find this to be quite ingenious and look forward to trying this next time we take a hike. While reading through the comments I found some other suggestions. One person says they keep a lint roller in their vehicle to run over their clothes to collect any ticks that may be on their clothes after being in the woods. Another person suggested using a glob of Vasoline if you find a tick that has latched onto you, saying that the Vasoline suffocates them, causing them to let go. While I don't know if the Vasoline trick actually works, I do think I will give the lint roller and the tape trick a try.