If you're hiking, you're more likely to get ticks on your upper body from brushing against branches or them falling out of trees. I've had one tick on my leg, but many more on my arms, shoulders, and neck (I always wear a hat, even when in the shade, just for protection against ticks on my head).

As for mosquitoes, of course they're going to bite your legs if they're exposed, but you're no worse off than if you were wearing shorts. I never had a problem with them flying up my kilt, which seemed to be everyone else's concern about what was going to happen! Once again, I had more mozzies attracted to the backs of my shoulders and arms than to my legs (overall - they'll go for anything when they're hungry). I've tried all sorts of different mosquito repellants - Skin So Soft, herbal concoctions, Off, and DEET, and I'll tell you, DEET's the only thing that actually keeps the bugs away for real. Yes, it's probably melting my kidneys or something, but at least I'm not being eaten alive.

For long-distance hiking I wear a poly/viscose kilt, so some of your questions about water, pleats, and so on will be from that viewpoint instead of from wool. When it gets wet it's warm. If I wear it while it's wet it will dry with the pleats intact. When fording deep rivers it will float around you if you get in up to your waist.

I'm happy to answer any questions you have about wearing a kilt outdoors. I'm at about 2,300 kilted hiking miles, and I'm about to tack on another 2,600 this spring/summer.

Andrew.