(gentle upbeat music) - [Bret] No one likes a tick, Sorry, Patrick Warburton.

- Awkward moment.

- [Bret] These arachnids are familiar foe to people enjoying the outdoors, but we know relatively little about their numbers or distribution in the state.

Professor Ben Cull at the University of Minnesota is on a mission to expand our knowledge of these unpopular parasites.

(gentle upbeat music) - The last time someone did a comprehensive survey of all the different tick species that are found in Minnesota was in the 1940s, and at that time, they found that there were seven species known in the state.

Since then, there have been about 15 species of ticks that have been recorded in this state.

Since then, there have been several large surveys for deer ticks, but a lot of the other tick species have received little attention, and this project aims to update our current information on tick species present in Minnesota.

To do this, we are establishing a community science project, which will involve collaborating with wildlife rehabilitation centers, vets, hunters, farmers, and other people that are coming into contact with wildlife as part of their daily activities.

(gentle upbeat music) - This is a big brown bat.

We are in a really unique position to be able to work with Dr.

Ben Cull on these studies.

Because we have such a large amount of patients, and we see so many animals, we get to screen them at intake, we do an exam, and when we find ticks, collect them for Dr cull.

And then especially with our young animals, with our babies that we bring in, we handle them multiple times a day, and at every time when we handle them, we check again for ticks and collect them.

So since 2023, we have collected over 2,100 ticks, spreading eight different species.

- [Bret] The study will also rely on sources that encounter ticks a bit less frequently than the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center.

- And we'll provide people with tick sampling kits, so they can send us ticks in the mail.

People are also welcome to email us photos of ticks they find.

We're also using our existing iNaturalist project to collect data on tick observations in Minnesota.

A major goal of this study is to communicate this information to the public.

So we've also established an online dashboard where people can go and look at this data on ticks, and we'll be regularly updating this.

Throughout the project, people will be able to go onto this website and find information about the different tick species we found and be able to carry out searches.

For example, someone could look at which tick species we found in their county, or they could see when ticks are most active in the state.

(gentle music) It's important to be aware of the different species of ticks we have in Minnesota because only certain species can transmit germs to people that make them sick.

So knowing what species of tick bit you will give you the information you need to get the right disease testing after a bite if you become sick.

- Yeah, when you think about ticks, it's not something a lot of people want to talk about, right?

Ticks are kind of gross and yucky, and you don't wanna find it on your pets.

You don't wanna find it on yourself, but they're everywhere, and they're really, really important to keep an eye out because of zoonotic diseases.

So for Dr.

Cull, it's really interesting that there are some of these tick species that are more prevalent now.

Ultimately, it is an important study for humans, for pets, and also for our wildlife to know what's out there.

- [Bret] In addition to understanding what ticks are currently in Minnesota, the project aims to monitor spec that are knocking on the door of the state.

- There also some ticks that are spreading in the United States.

One of these is the lone star tick, which people may have heard of, and this is easily recognizable by a white dot on its back, which is where it gets its name, the lone star tick, so far, it's not established in Minnesota.

- [Bret] Among the diseases carried by the lone star tick is alpha-gal syndrome, which is an allergy to a carbohydrate found in the meat of mammals and some dairy products.

(gentle music) The disorder is rapidly rising in the United States.

Preliminary findings from a recent study by Virginia Commonwealth University found a 100 fold rise in incident rates among those who were tested from 2013 to 2024.

Notably, former Minnesota Vikings Hall of Fame Defensive End Jared Allen recently announced his battle with alpha-gal.

(gentle music) - There's another tick called the Asian longhorned tick, which is causing problems for cattle in the U.S., and this is an invasive species which has just reached Iowa.

So it's important for Minnesotans, if they recognize these tick species, to report them.

- [Bret] There are precautions people can take to reduce the risk of tick bites and tick-borne diseases.

- If you're going to be spending time outdoors and you want to reduce the risk of being bitten by ticks, there are a few steps you can take.

These include using bug spray.

Treated clothing will repel the ticks.

Keeping into the middle of trails, not going deep into the brush.

Although, you may not be able to avoid this in some recreational activities.

And also check yourself after you've been outside because most of the tick-borne diseases, the tick needs to be attached for a day or more to be able to transmit the germs.

So if you can find ticks and remove them quickly, this greatly reduces the risk of becoming ill from a tick bite.

If a person finds a tick on them, they should keep the tick so that someone can identify it.

This will give them an idea of the potential diseases they might have transmitted.

It's also important that they remove the tick correctly, which is grabbing it at the head and pulling it straight outwards.

And you should monitor the bite site.

For example, if you see a a rash developing, then that's a good time to go and see a doctor.

- [Bret] While most of us would like to limit our exposure to ticks, Dr.

Cull is looking for help getting a closer look at many more.

- If you work with animals or you're regularly coming across ticks on animals or yourself, please reach out to us, and we'll be happy to accept your tick samples.

(gentle music) - [Bret] For more information on the University of Minnesota Tick Biodiversity Program, you can visit z.umn.edu/ticks.

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