Western Connecticut State University seeks help to track ticks

Danbury-based Western Connecticut State University’s (WCSU) Tickborne Disease Prevention Laboratory announced it is seeking input from Connecticut residents about how they manage their yards.

The five minute survey can be found at this link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CTlawn

The information will be used to inform research into how lawn management techniques impact the spread of ticks and the diseases they carry. The small arachnids are perhaps most famous for spreading Lyme Disease, which takes its name from the Connecticut town where its painful symptoms were first described.

In recent years, climate change has altered the natural range and spread of many species of ticks, making current research important for the sake of public health. The lone star tick is one such species, and is infamous for causing alpha-gal syndrome, a medical condition that causes an allergic reaction to red meat, alongside other dangerous diseases.

WCSU will be collecting responses through Dec. 1, 2024.