As our climate changes, ticks are expanding their geographic range, bringing a host of diseases with them. This expansion has coincided with a rise in reports of tick-borne illnesses, making understanding the factors that put people at risk of contracting such diseases critical to protecting public health. To learn more about the presence of ticks in residential areas, Indiana University researchers sampled about 310 private residences in south and central Indiana, collecting data on the local environment, property owners’ knowledge about ticks, and the tick management strategies used by property owners. Study findings show that the areas around people’s residences may be an underestimated source of tick exposure, particularly in rural areas.

Listen to the story from March 29, 2021