PictureA tick found near my ankle!
Field work is integral to invasive species survey and management, and most of it occurs during the time when ticks are most active (April through September). As we are seeing an uptick in tick interactions and Lyme disease diagnoses in the region, we thought we would curate some links and resources on the topic.  Since we and our partners routinely rely on volunteers to assist with survey and managment efforts, it's also important to provide volunteers with tips in advance of invasive species workdays so they can come prepared. There are ticks in our region that can give you Lyme disease (they need to be attached for 24 to 48 hours for Lyme disease to transfer) and other ticks that carry a variety of other diseases, so please be careful while doing field work! If you have a picture of a tick you want identified, you can email it here:  [email protected]


Some tips include the following:
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  1. Wear pants and tuck the bottoms into your socks
  2. Wear high boots if possible
  3. Wear bright or light colored socks and other articles of clothing to spot ticks on you easily
  4. Tie up long hair and keep tucked under a hat
  5. Use 20% plus Deet containing insect repellents (I generally spray from mid-thigh down to shoes) or Permethrin treated clothing
  6. Check for ticks (under and on your clothes) immediately after you are finished field work
  7. Take a shower when you can, and run your fingers through your hair and along scalp (I've found ticks on me a day or two later even after showering!)
  8. Avoid walking in tall grasses or heaps of leaf litter if you can

​Please click on the "Ticks and Your Health" guide created by a variety of state agencies and Michigan State University for information on:  tick identification, what to do if tick is attached, symptoms of various tick associate diseases, protecting pets, and landscaping strategies to reduce habitat attractive to ticks in your yard.  

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Click for pdf.
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Click for pdf.
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Tuck your pants into your socks when hiking!
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I have had good luck with 25%+ Deet!
For more information, please visit these links:
  1. Washtenaw County Health Department.  Lyme & Ticks. Date Accessed: August 23rd, 2023. Link:  https://www.washtenaw.org/1813/Lyme-Ticks
  2. EPA. Find the Repellent that is Right for You. Date Accessed: August 23rd, 2023. Link:  https://www.epa.gov/insect-repellents/find-repellent-right-you#search%20tool
  3. WEMU. Issues of the Environment: Lyme disease on the increase in Washtenaw County.  Date Accessed: August 23rd, 2023.  Link:  https://www.wemu.org/show/issues-of-the-environment/2023-08-23/issues-of-the-environment-lyme-disease-on-the-increase-in-washtenaw-county
  4. CDC.  Tick Removal. Date Accessed: August 23rd, 2023. Link:  https://www.cdc.gov/ticks/removing_a_tick.html
  5. CDC. Tick Surveillance.  Date Accessed: August 23rd, 2023. Link: https://www.cdc.gov/ticks/surveillance/index.html
  6. MDHHS. Instructions for Tick Submission. Date Accessed: August 23rd, 2023.   Link:  https://www.michigan.gov/mdhhs/-/media/Project/Websites/emergingdiseases/Folder1/Tick_testing_flow_chart.pdf?rev=5e8caaf738804f31b42f7b8116eadeee&hash=0A3ADDD4E73780AD8D4C769040E7F78B
  7. USFDA.  Ticks and Lyme Disease (People and Pets):  Symptoms, Treatment, and Prevention. Date Accessed: August 23rd, 2023. Link: https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/ticks-and-lyme-disease-symptoms-treatment-and-prevention​
  8. Power of Knowledge. Tick information in hindi. Date Accessed: August 24th, 2023.  Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VYo8RUU81E

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