Ticks

Ticks are small arachnids in tall grass, scrub and forest floors that bite in to feed on blood. They can transmit Borrelia and TBE. Fast detection and removal matter most, but a good repellent lowers the number of bites.

Plants and herbs that help

Lemon eucalyptus (PMD), Documented repellent effect on par with low-dose DEET against mosquitoes and ticks.
Peppermint, The menthol-rich scent repels ticks.
Lavender, Mild, documented repellent effect.
Cloves, Their eugenol content is strongly repellent to ticks and crawling insects.

Recipes

Oil

Tick-repellent spray

Lemon eucalyptus is the one plant oil where the research genuinely holds. It is recognised by both American and European health authorities as effective against ticks and mosquitoes, and it is the only one of its kind that is. But let me say it plainly before you head into the woods: a homemade spray is weaker and lasts less time than a shop-bought one. You need to reapply every two to three hours, and you still have to check yourself for ticks when you get home. The spray is one layer. The check is what saves you. Tick bites in Denmark can cause Lyme disease, and in some areas encephalitis. That is not something a spray excuses you from taking seriously.

10 minutesEasy

Oil

Tick oil for pulse points

The little sister to the spray. A roll-on in your pocket that you can bring out without spraying the whole family. Pulse points are where the blood vessels lie close to the skin — wrists, neck, behind the ears, the inside of the elbow. The skin is warmer there, and the warmth makes the scent compounds evaporate slowly and stand as a cloud around you. It does not replace the spray on your trouser waistband. Ticks climb up from the grass, not down from the sky, so the legs still matter most. This is a supplement for a short walk, or an extra layer on a long one.

8 minutesEasy

Warning

Essential oils (especially peppermint and clove) are not recommended for children under 3 and should be well diluted. Lemon eucalyptus is not recommended for children under 3. Always check the skin for ticks after time outdoors, and remove an attached tick with a tick tool, not oil, soap or heat.

The content here is general knowledge and folk herbal lore, not medical treatment. In illness, pregnancy, breastfeeding or alongside medication: always talk to your doctor first.