RIVM and Wageningen University analyzed tick bite reports from Tekenradar.nl for 2019 and 2020, identifying the most common bite locations.
In children, ticks primarily latch onto the head and neck—accounting for 32% of bites, according to the RIVM and Wageningen University study. In adults, this drops to just 3%. Adults are bitten most often on the legs. Bites near the pubic area are less frequent (7% in children, 9% in adults), but experts urge checking there too, as they are often found later.
The study drew from Tekenradar.nl, where about 8,500 tick bites were reported last year. Most came from Gelderland and Utrecht; the fewest from Zeeland and Flevoland. Over 1 million people suffer tick bites annually in the Netherlands, with roughly 2 in 100 developing Lyme disease.
Read also: How to Remove a Tick with Tweezers
