Avoid wearing in Indiana unless you love ticks

Indiana has a major tick infestation, and if you want to avoid them crawling all over you, you may want to change the color of your clothing when outdoors.

Growing up here in Indiana, I always played outside. I’m sure you had a similar upbringing: You played outside all day, and as soon as you came back inside, your parents would say the same thing my parents told me. “We need to check you for ticks.”
Now it’s tick season in Indiana. We’ve all heard horror stories about ticks and the effects their bites can have on us. For example, there’s a potentially fatal allergy that starts with a tick bite from a tick found in Indiana. So how do you try to avoid tick bites?

Of course, you should always protect yourself from ticks by using insect repellent containing DEET, picaridin or permethrin as these are very effective at deterring ticks. There are also some really cool and easy DIY tick repellents you can try here. Long-sleeved shirts and long pants are essential; tucking pants into socks and wearing light-colored clothing can help you spot ticks more easily. Additionally, closed-toe shoes and a hat can provide additional protection. If you are in grassy/wooded areas, try this little trick to prevent ticks from crawling all over you.

Interestingly, much like mosquitoes, the color of your clothing can also attract and repel ticks. So what colors should you avoid if you want to avoid ticks? Well, this can be a bit of a tricky subject.

Which colors attract and repel ticks?

According to the National Institutes of Health, lighter colored clothing is more likely to attract ticks than darker colored clothing. However, ticks are more visible and easier to spot on light colored clothing than on dark colored clothing. So it’s a bit of a catch-22. That said, those who like to wear darker colors should be a little safer when it comes to ticks. You just want to make sure you look closely at your clothing in each case to see if there are any ticks crawling around on them. The best thing to do is to put your clothing in the dryer for 10 to 15 minutes or wash it in hot water to prevent ticks from living on them.