Project Overview

Reports

Commodities

• Community and Urban Pest Management: commercial, institution/shelters/municipal buildings/public places, other, public health, residential/housing, school & child care

• Ecosystem: Ecosystem

• Human Health: other, workers, residents, applicators

• Natural Areas: forestry (conifer), forestry (hardwood), other, wildlife

Target Pests

Practices

• Pest Management: behavioral control, biological control, biorational pesticides, botanical pesticides, chemical control, cultural control, decision support system, disease vectors, economic threshold, forecasting, genetic resistance, habitat modification, host resistance, mating disruption, mechanical control, modeling, monitoring/scouting, pesticide resistance management, prevention

• Crop Production: pollination/pollinator health/habitat

• Natural Resources/Environment: wildlife

• Sustainable Communities: other, public participation, public policy, quality of life, sustainability measures

a) Ticks and tick-borne diseases (TBDs) pose a major public health risk to people, pets and livestock in the North Central region. The North Central region has recorded six different tick species that spread TBDs to humans and livestock and 14 different TBDs that affect humans (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services 2020). All 12 North Central states reported Lyme disease cases to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in 2021. Research indicates the overuse of acaricides in conventional-tick management may increase tick populations exhibiting resistance. Regions at risk from TBDs require more robust Integrated Tick Management (ITM) interventions including continuous surveillance, education and prevention.

b) The Public Tick IPM working group aspires to expand the network of stakeholders working to improve tick management strategies and reduce the human risk of exposure to infected ticks. The working group addresses the North Central IPM Center’s priorities of 1) Fund research, training and technical assistance to ensure that diversity, equity and inclusion are foundational to IPM research, extension and teaching in the North Central Region; 2) Ensure that students majoring in IPM and related fields are invited and able to attend education IPM events and networking opportunities; and 3) Support and promote IPM practices that improve public and animal health by minimizing the impact of insect-vectored diseases and household pests and reducing the exposure to unnecessary pesticides.

Past NCIPMC funding enabled the Tick IPM working group to convene a wide range of perspectives, including researchers, policy advocates, industry professionals, government leaders and public health professionals. The working group utilizes monthly webinars, an annual Tick Academy, email, social media and additional meetings to engage these stakeholders and facilitate ITM adoption.

c) The Public Tick IPM working group committed to the following objectives in 2024-2025: 1) Raise tick and TBD awareness by engaging and increasing membership from the public health, pest management and natural resource management sectors; 2) Enhance knowledge of tick lifecycles, identification and taxonomy skills and best management practices during the 5^th annual Tick Academy; and 3) Strengthen the working group’s ability to support institutions with the development and implementation of ITM programs by redesigning and improving the working group’s landing webpage.

d) Overall, this working group strives to increase adoption of IPM strategies to control ticks and reduce tick-borne disease incidences regionally and nationally. Nationally, the working group will improve ITM knowledge by organizing monthly webinars, hosting the 5^th annual Tick Academy, redesigning the working group webpage and tracking ITM programs and policies through a virtual map. Regionally, the working group will support institutions that oversee tick management for underserved North Central communities by providing these institutions complimentary registrations to the Tick Academy, tick collection kits and additional tick management and surveillance resources.

Objective 1: By February of 2025, the WG will raise tick and TBD awareness by engaging and increasing membership from the public health, pest management and natural resource management sectors.

Objective 2: By February 2025, the WG will enhance knowledge of tick lifecycles, identification, taxonomy and best management practices among public health professionals, land managers and WG members by hosting its annual virtual Tick Academy.

Objective 3: By February of 2025, the WG will strengthen its ability to support institutions with the development and implementation of ITM programs by redesigning and improving the WG’s landing webpage.