Counting Ticks on Animals is More Complicated Than It Sounds
Simply counting the number of ticks on a host animal seems like a straightforward task, but an analysis of published tick research finds no single, standard method among scientists. A group of researchers says tick-counting methods should be as rigorous as any other scientific procedure and described clearly enough to allow their use in other studies.
Forest Service Crews Double as Tick-Surveillance Teams in Collaborative Study
A partnership between the University of Tennessee and the USDA Forest Service is a proof-of-concept for collaborative tick-surveillance programs.
New Study Highlights Ups and Downs in Tick Management
A new study examines two host-targeted tick-control methods, and one shows a distinct advantage, but it's likely not cost-effective for the typical homeowner.
Potential Range for Asian Longhorned Tick Covers Much of Eastern U.S.
The invasive Asian longhorned tick could find plenty of suitable habitat in North America that is similar to its native region, according to new research from the Rutgers University Center for Vector Biology.
Organic Dust Takes a Bite Out of Ticks
Researchers at the USDA-Agricultural Research Service find promising results using clay and silicate dusts to combat lone star ticks. They hope the dusts could be a useful tool against tick species that transmit deadly pathogens to livestock.
In the Southern U.S., Young Blacklegged Ticks’ Habitat is a Mystery
In the southern U.S., blacklegged tick larvae and nymphs can be found on hosts, but they don't otherwise show up in vegetation or—as a new study finds—in leaf litter or soil either. So where are they hiding?
Tick-Repellent Clothing: How Laundry Suds Affect Your Permethrin-Treated Duds
A study on the durability of permethrin-treated clothing found that, after 16 cycles of wearing and washing the clothes, their repellent effect on ticks was indeed reduced, but it was still better than untreated clothing.
Cattle Call: Tick Surveillance Project Offers Model for Monitoring Livestock
A study in Tennessee found ticks on about one in six cattle and at livestock monitoring locations in all regions of the state, highlighting a "hidden health threat" to the cattle industry.
The Case for Greater Focus on Mosquitoes and Other Arthropod Vectors in Epidemiology
The textbook approach to managing disease outbreaks focuses on pathogen, host, and environment but leaves out insect or arthropod vectors. For afflictions such as Zika, malaria, and Lyme, a report in the Annals of the Entomological Society of America proposes a new version of the classic 'epidemiologic triad' that better reflects the complexities of managing vector-borne diseases.
Cold-Season Temperature and Rainfall Drive Climate Suitability for Ticks in California
A new CDC study finds cold-season temperature and rainfall are the two leading factors that determine climate suitability for ticks within California, deeming the state's far northern coast and the western Sierra Nevada foothills as the most likely habitat for the western blacklegged tick.
New CDC Tick Study Adds to Promise of Permethrin-Treated Clothing
Experiments conducted at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed clothing treated with permethrin had strong toxic effects on three primary germ-carrying tick species, interfering with the ticks' ability to move properly and likely interfering with their ability to bite.
In Tick Management, Species Matters
One key factor plays a role in how well any particular tick-management method might work: Which tick species is it best suited for? A new guide in the Journal of Integrated Pest Management reviews research on tick management tools and their effectiveness on three tick species: the blacklegged tick, the lone star tick, and the American dog tick.
Invasive Tick Persists in New Jersey
Officials in New Jersey report that the invasive tick Haemaphysalis longicornis has successfully overwintered and was found once again on a rural property in mid-April 2018, after an infestation was reported there in 2017, the first such appearance of the species within North American borders.
Landscape Terrain Provides New Angle for Measuring Tick Abundance
A study of lone star ticks in the forested Missouri Ozarks found that nymphs and adults were more abundant in valleys and on north-facing hills than in other areas. Meanwhile, nymphs appeared less often in the areas of greater temperature variability, while adults were less prevalent with increased elevation.
Reporting Tick Bites to Public Health Agencies Helps ID Risk Areas for Lyme Disease
A study in Quebec highlights the value of reporting tick bites and submitting tick specimens to public health agencies. Such "passive surveillance" outpaces field collection of ticks in identifying areas of emerging risk for Lyme disease.
Tick Bites Tick: A Rare Case of Hard-Tick Hyperparasitism
A scanning electron micrograph shows an engorged female Ixodes angustus tick with a male I. angustus attached to its underside in typical feeding mode—a case of hyperparasitism presumed uncommon in the species.