'We're only going to see that number increase': UNL Grad Student Tracking Growing Tick Population in Nebraska

It's something that may cause a little alarm after your evening walk. A small, dark dot on your skin or clothing: a tick.

But it's these bugs that University of Nebraska-Lincoln ecology grad student Dominic Cristiano wants to find. He's helping collect data to track ticks around the state to see where they are and where they're going. In the past 20 years, the U.S. tracked a significant jump in tick-borne disease, including Lyme disease, in the Northeast and Midwest regions of the country.

University of Nebraska Extension entomologist Jody Green first created "Tick Tag Go," the tick tracking technology in 2019. Cristiano uses that database, along with others, to ultimately focus on our perceptions of tick risk and compare that to the actual threat of the bugs. This includes getting a good grasp on how many ticks are taking up space in Nebraska right now.

"I think we're only going to see that number increase as climate changes, host pattern movement changes, as we see more deer spreading across the country, and different patterns of vegetation change as well," Cristiano said. "So, I think it's something that people should be keeping an eye on, especially when they're interacting with natural areas."

A jump in the tick population also increases the chance of contracting diseases they carry, such as Lyme disease.

One big cause of changing tick movement is some of the trees you pass while heading across the state.

"We have a woody plant encroachment problem across the state, where cedar trees are invading from the east to the west," Cristiano said. "And that imposes problems as well where we might see animals associated with them, like deer or small rodents, move throughout the state – in addition to that kind of following these trees. And ticks are really dependent on the hosts they feed on."

Using databases such as Tick Tag Go, can help researchers like Cristiano analyze them.

Overall, it's good to remember, most ticks won't harm you, especially if you manage to catch them early. If you want to check out the tick archive or submit your photos while you're out in nature, head to TickTagGo.unl.edu.