While many Central Wisconsin residents head outdoors this fall for activities like hiking and hunting, researchers at Marshfield Clinic Research Institute are reminding them that ticks are still active.
The institute’s Tick Inventory via Citizen Science (TICS) study, which has already identified more than 5,400 ticks submitted by Wisconsin residents this year, is asking the public to continue sending in any ticks they find.
“In 2024, the first year of the TICS study, we saw a surge of tick submissions in October,” said Alexandra Linz, an associate research scientist at the institute. “These were often deer ticks, which are the ones that primarily carry disease in Wisconsin.”
Of the ticks collected this year, more than 65% are the larger American dog (wood) tick, with the majority of the remainder being the smaller deer (blacklegged) tick.
Linz stressed the importance of tick checks, even in cooler weather, noting that the small deer tick is the one most likely to carry illnesses like Lyme disease. The first two years of the study have seen nearly 12,000 ticks submitted, helping researchers detect rarer species in the state, including 21 lone star ticks, which can cause Alpha-gal Syndrome, a meat allergy.
Hunters are encouraged to check their kills for ticks near the eyes or ears and submit them to the study. Pre-paid collection kits are available at locations including Rib Mountain State Park and the George Mead Wildlife Area Education Center.
To request a pre-paid collection kit, contact the TICS team at tics@marshfieldclinic.org or 715-389-7796, ext. 16462. Collection will continue until winter weather ends tick activity for the year.
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