Tick Population Density in Spokane, Washington Parks
Faculty Mentor
Krisztian Magori
Presentation Type
Oral Presentation
Start Date
5-7-2024 11:35 AM
End Date
5-7-2024 11:55 AM
Location
PAT 326
Primary Discipline of Presentation
Biology
Abstract
In the US, ticks can carry a variety of disease-causing organisms. These diseases include Lyme disease, babesiosis, ehrlichiosis, and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. The goal of this study is to identify areas where caution and proper attire should be worn to avoid possibly taking ticks home with you. Hikes and outdoor excursions are popular places where ticks are more likely to be detected on humans and canines. With the hiking season approaching, we will collect data from 4 popular hiking routes in Spokane, Washington, in order to identify which one has the highest density of ticks. We will be collecting data from the Bowl and Pitcher Loop Trail, Waterfall Loop Trail, and Dishman Hills Natural Area Trail, and the Rocks of Sharon Trail hiking routes. We'll drag a corduroy sheet behind us, which the ticks will cling to, making it easy to assess the tick population in the area. The quantity of ticks will be recorded along with the ticks per square meter in each region. Our hypothesis is tick populations will be higher in places with larger concentrations of plants, humans, and pet activity. Therefore, with prime tick season approaching our goal is to help inform the public about high-tick population places to avoid when seeking destinations to hike, which will be aided by the results of this experiment.
Recommended Citation
Babin, Ashley; Chavez, Xochitl; Estudillo, Joshua; Heaton, Jacob; and Hernandez, Nayeli, "Tick Population Density in Spokane, Washington Parks" (2024). 2024 Symposium. 7.
https://dc.ewu.edu/srcw_2024/op_2024/o3_2024/7
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Tick Population Density in Spokane, Washington Parks
PAT 326
In the US, ticks can carry a variety of disease-causing organisms. These diseases include Lyme disease, babesiosis, ehrlichiosis, and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. The goal of this study is to identify areas where caution and proper attire should be worn to avoid possibly taking ticks home with you. Hikes and outdoor excursions are popular places where ticks are more likely to be detected on humans and canines. With the hiking season approaching, we will collect data from 4 popular hiking routes in Spokane, Washington, in order to identify which one has the highest density of ticks. We will be collecting data from the Bowl and Pitcher Loop Trail, Waterfall Loop Trail, and Dishman Hills Natural Area Trail, and the Rocks of Sharon Trail hiking routes. We'll drag a corduroy sheet behind us, which the ticks will cling to, making it easy to assess the tick population in the area. The quantity of ticks will be recorded along with the ticks per square meter in each region. Our hypothesis is tick populations will be higher in places with larger concentrations of plants, humans, and pet activity. Therefore, with prime tick season approaching our goal is to help inform the public about high-tick population places to avoid when seeking destinations to hike, which will be aided by the results of this experiment.
