Adelaidean, Happytrvlr, and massimop, thank you for those informative posts! I am reassured that I can manage the trails of interest and decidedly on notice re the ticks. Xcountry, thank you for the smile :-).

Which areas would be considered southern Dolomites?

The areas that closer to the Trentino (as opposed to the Alta Adige) but you should take reasonable precautions everywhere.

I think you will be fine if you stay on paths & don't wear open sandals. If for some unexpected reason you end up needing to walk through brush, check yourself & give your self a good scrub in the shower & towel rub when you return from the hike.

Most of the easy paths & hikes in the Dolomiti are bare dirt paths without grass or brush. Ticks live in high wet grass because they die without moisture in hot sun. So stick to the path itself.

https://www.valgardena.it/fileadmin/...n/_H7X1569.jpg

http://www.dolomitisuperski.com/webs...81~-~360w.jpeg