Life Kit: Health It's tick season. Here's how to protect yourself.
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Jun 19, 2025 
Ping Huang, an NPR health correspondent, shares vital insights about ticks and the threats they pose, particularly Lyme disease. She discusses where ticks thrive and effective prevention strategies to keep you safe while enjoying the outdoors. Listeners learn the importance of wearing appropriate clothing and conducting thorough body checks after outings. Huang also explains how to identify ticks and the urgent steps to take if bitten, ensuring that everyone is empowered to protect themselves during tick season.
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Ticks' Feeding Preferences
- Ticks feed on blood to mature, but humans are not their preferred hosts.
- They mainly target deer, dogs, mice, and other animals, biting humans if encountered accidentally.
Ticks Spread Multiple Diseases
- Lyme disease is the most common and concerning illness caused by ticks in the U.S.
- Ticks also transmit various pathogens causing a range of diseases, some severe.
Tick Habitats Are Widespread
- Ticks thrive in tall grasses, leaf piles, stone walls, and shaded areas with high humidity.
- They are found all over the U.S., even urban parks and beach shrubs.