Beth Skwarecki Beth Skwarecki Senior Health Editor Experience Beth Skwarecki is Lifehacker’s Senior Health Editor, and holds certifications as a personal trainer and weightlifting coach. She has been writing about health for over 10 years. Read Full Bio April 10, 2026 Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google We may earn a commission from links on this page. Credit: THP Creative - Shutterstock Table of Contents If you’re grossed out by the idea that you might be bitten by a tick this year (chances are good, to be honest), now is the time to get yourself a bottle of permethrin spray . Permethrin-treating your shoes and pants is one of the simplest ways to set up a barrier between hungry ticks and your delicious, blood-filled flesh. Ticks need to spend time in dirt or leaf litter to avoid drying out, so they hang out close to the ground. They find us by climbing a stalk of grass and reaching out with their little legs when we walk by.…