Marshfield Clinic Research Institute kicks off third year of citizen tick collecting

WISCONSIN – The Marshfield Clinic Research Institute (MCRI) is once again asking Wisconsin residents to send in ticks they find while working outside or enjoying the outdoors this year.

In 2024, the MCRI launched the Tick Inventory via Citizen Science (TICS) (www.tinyurl.com/4zepsdpz) in an effort to identify ticks that are found in the state.

A release from the MCRI said this information can be used to assess risk of encountering a tickborne disease and to learn more about who is being exposed to and diagnosed with tickborne diseases.

In both 2024 and 2025, nearly 6,000 ticks were collected annually from nearly every Wisconsin county, according to the MCRI.

“We had overwhelming support from people are curious and invested in helping better identify the health threats associated with ticks,” said Jennifer Meece, MCRI Executive Director. “We had many calls last year from people who told us about the impact tick-borne disease had on their lives.”

Of the ticks collected in 2024, nearly 3,600 or more than 61% were the American dog (wood) tick, and the majority of the remainder were the deer (blacklegged) tick. Researchers saw almost a 10% increase in the number of the much smaller deer ticks submitted in 2025 compared to a year earlier, the MCRI said.

“The deer tick’s small size and greater likelihood of carrying illnesses like Lyme disease is what makes it critical to perform tick checks after spending time in wooded or brushy areas,” said Alexandra Linz, MCRI Associate Research Scientist.

Risk of diseases, seeking personal feedback

The MCRI said deer ticks carry pathogens that may cause diseases such as Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, ehrlichiosis and babesiosis.

“The influx of ticks discovered during the first two years of the study allowed the research team to detect much rarer species in Wisconsin, such as the lone star tick,” the MCRI stated.

“Some of these ticks are typically found in warmer climates are now appearing in the Midwest,” Linz said. “The question is, ‘Are they breeding here, or are they just catching a ride, and we found it by chance?’”

At the end of last tick season, the MCRI reached out to everyone who agreed to a post-season survey to learn more about their experiences with Lyme disease or other tick-borne disease.

“This year, along with ongoing tick collection and surveys, the goal is to understand in more detail experiences with Lyme and other tick-transmitted diseases,” the MCRI said. “Anyone can share their story – a tick submission is not required.”

“We’ve had a number of people who have shared their stories of themselves or their loved ones who endured through a tick-borne illness,” Meece stated. “Our new study, Tick Inventory via Citizen Science-Lyme Experience Narrative Study, or TICS-LENS, is aimed at engaging individuals who have experienced Lyme or another tick-infection to tell their story. It is open text, so individuals can share as little or as much as they feel comfortable sharing. Responses will be anonymous, unless people want to share their contact information.”

The MCRI said symptoms of illnesses resulting from a tick bite can include rash, fever, joint pain and fatigue.

“Contact your medical provider if you have these symptoms,” the MCRI stated. “To reduce the risk of tick bites, spray insecticide such as permethrin on clothing, sleeping bags and tent fabric. Wear clothing that covers your skin. Finally, check yourself or have someone help you check for ticks after time spent outdoors.”

Get a tick kit

For more information or to request a pre-paid collection kit, email tics@marshfieldclinic.org or call 1-715-389-7796 (extension 16462).

Parks and nature centers interested in having kits available for their visitors also are encouraged to contact MCRI. Kits left over from last year may still be used.

“Once the tick, dead or alive, has been placed in the collection kit, just drop it in the mail to submit,” the MCRI said. “Any tick found on people or pets is appreciated. Each kit will come with a unique identification number that people can use to look up, via an online dashboard, the species of ticks they submitted.”