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

Posted: March 23, 2026

MARSHFIELD, Wis. Building on two years of citizen support, Marshfield Clinic Research Institute is once again asking Wisconsin residents to send in ticks they find while working and recreating outside this year.

In 2024, the Research Institute launched the Tick Inventory via Citizen Science (TICS) program in an effort to identify ticks found in the state. This information helps assess the risk of encountering tickborne diseases and provides insight into exposure and diagnosis trends.

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

"We had overwhelming support from people who are curious and invested in helping better identify the health threats associated with ticks," said Jennifer Meece, Marshfield Clinic Research Institute 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 percent, were the American dog (wood) tick, with most of the remainder being deer (blacklegged) ticks. Researchers saw nearly a 10 percent increase in the number of smaller deer ticks submitted in 2025 compared to the previous year.