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That's interesting, and a bit surprising. Peak tick activity in the US coincides with outdoor activity in times and places where you're doing a lot of sweating, and are more or less at equipotential with the ground. I suppose they could be attracted first to dry clothing, then to skin nearby, though.

And dog ticks obviously wouldn't face the same problem, since they produce minimal sweat through their fur.

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What shoe materials are good at generating static electricity and which shoe materials are poor?

I think ticks are mostly attracted by the CO2 in breath of animals. As in, they drop themselves from trees when an animal/person is breathing below them.

Ticks dropping from trees is the childhood myth that will make me also always forever fear walking under low trees, but ticks neither jump nor go high up on trees, usually. I almost believe you don't meant that seriously ;), otherwise nowadays there are more "debunk" stories out there than ticks probably, just google it.

See also this video for where and how you find ticks easily: https://youtu.be/igBfTmRQ8-U

Some mosquitos iirc let them guide by CO2 gradients..

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