Tick Control

Because ticks are most commonly found along trails in our parks and open spaces, it’s more feasible to avoid contact with ticks and prevent tick bites when spending time in these areas than to control tick populations. However, some residents may choose to have a private pest control operator treat their property for ticks.

Tick-borne Disease Surveillance

The District laboratory conducts tick-borne disease surveillance at a selection of local parks each year. Ticks are collected by dragging a square of white fabric through the grass, leaf litter, and brush alongside trails. Ticks grab on to the fabric in hopes that it is part of a host that they can feed on, and the staff uses tweezers to collect them.

Ticks collected during surveillance are identified by species and tested for common tick-borne pathogens like Borrelia burgdorferi, which causes Lyme disease. This helps the laboratory learn more about the risk of tick-borne illness in our county. This data is available under tick-borne disease surveillance in the data and statistics section.