Tick Talk: AgCenter Entomologist Seeks Input From Public Via New Website

V. TODD MILLER

BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA

With summer comes outdoor activities and the possibility of encountering ticks and the diseases they carry. To determine which species may be common to a particular location in Louisiana, an LSU AgCenter researcher and her team have developed an online tool to assist in locating the bloodsuckers.

AgCenter entomologist Kristen Healy has been working with the Louisiana Department of Health and Tulane University to better understand the risk for tickborne diseases in Louisiana. According to Healy, the state hasn't had a survey of ticks in decades, and much of the current knowledge predates that of the introduction of imported fire ants.

“Fire ants contributed to the reduction of ticks, which most likely impacted behavior of tick hosts and reduced their presence,” Healy said.

Along with her graduate student Madeline Philips, Healy will be collecting ticks throughout Louisiana in multiple ways. First, they’ll do “tick drags” in areas known to have them. They’ll also sample animal populations known to have ticks and ask the public to send in tick photos and specimens to add to the collection. 

It’s the last method where Healy’s newly created website, geaux-ticks.org, comes into play. 

“We hope the tick website will increase public awareness of the importance of ticks in the state,” Healy said. “But we also hope people become aware there is a resource where they can send tick samples for us to identify the species.”

Because her team cannot conduct tick drags in every corner of the state, Healy is hoping the public can help by submitting photos and specimens along with data on where and when they were found. 

“We will use this data to update maps of where these species occur and will provide better knowledge on potential risk of tickborne diseases in the state,” she said.

A major concern of Healy’s is an invasive species of tick called the Asian longhorned tick (Haemaphysalis longicornis). It was introduced into the United States around 2017 in New Jersey, she said. And while there haven't been any reports of the pest in Louisiana, it is slowly making its way southward. 

Healy said awareness of the species is important.

“While the Asian longhorned tick hasn't been found in Louisiana yet, it has potential to cause serious impacts to both human and animal health where it occurs,” she said, adding that thousands of the insects can infest a single animal.

Although ticks are not extremely abundant in Louisiana, Healy said, people can benefit from knowing which species are here and which areas are at the greatest risk for tickborne diseases.

“The residents of Louisiana are a wonderful resource for us,” she said. “By simply sending us a photo or specimen of a tick, we will be able to gather so much information that we haven't had in decades.” ∆

V. TODD MILLER: LSU AgCenter