The pic shows our most common ticks on my hand. The trick is to pay attention to your tickles and itches and to check those spots right away. Most tick-borne diseases require the tick to be attached for a long time for transmission. The sooner you pick them off, the better. Don't panic if you find one attached though....it takes 48 hours for a tick to give you Lyme Disease.
Here's a terrific publication by the CDC all about ticks and the diseases they transmit. http://www.cdc.gov/lyme/resources/TickborneDiseases.pdf
