Tick Inquiry (Spokane, South Hill, Dishman: neighborhood, law school, university)

[Heagle]

Hello,

I am a research student at Gonzaga University performing research on ticks. Does anyone know of any areas near eastern Washington/Spokane area (parks, conservation areas, etc...) with seemingly high tick populations? Places where your dog always picks up ticks would be useful for my team and I!

Much appreciated.

[mistyriver]

I’ve heard people complain about Turnbull Wildlife Refuge as pretty tick infested.

[509]

Your at the wrong time of year for collecting lots of ticks.

The largest tick populations are in the Columbia Basin. I lived and worked in the woods in North Idaho and those populations are very low compared to the Basin.

The lower Crab Creek drainage had a lot of ticks. So much so that the bushes literally moved with ticks there were some many hanging waiting for a warm blooded mammal to walk past!! The area just got burned over in the 243 fire so not sure how it would be next year.

Dodson Road area is infested with ticks particularly areas with high sage and Russian Olive populations. I camped there one Memorial Day and left after an hour or two after finding about 20 ticks in the tent trailer in that one hour!!

I always put tick repellent on my dog in April and May. By July, I stop applying it since I rarely find a tick after June on the dog.

IF you need tick samples now...you might want to contact the Forest Service and ask them. They might even get their field workers to collect them off their bodies for you. At this time of year, it might be the simplest way to collect them.

What is your study on ticks?? Are you focusing on a particular tick species??

[PS90]

The WA state Department of Health did a fairly intensive tick analysis study for a few years. They were asking for submission of ticks by vet clinics, etc, for species identification and things like whether or not they were carrying the pathogen responsible for Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, and a few other things.

I think that the funding for this dried up a few years ago, but you could call them an/or poke around on their website for the study results from a few years back.

If I remember right, Columbia Basin and NE WA had the most ticks, but I don't remember anything specifically. I am fairly sure that the entire state has a tick problem, just with differing levels of severity.

[mistyriver]

I’m getting my info from our neighborhood group on Nextdoor since the OP asked for the Spokane area or NE WA. Lots of griping about ticks at Turnbull. Also in the Dishman Hills. One person complained about the back trails at Rimrock (Palisades), Moran Prairie area and the bluff trails on the South Hill. Several said the South Hill dog parks were crawling with them.
My dog is on Bravecto and he’s never gotten any here, in fact in 14 year living in the woods in northern Idaho, we never had ANY ticks.
Local veterinarians might have some insight too.

Good luck, OP...my daughter is a Zag too. At the law school.

[Heagle]

Originally Posted by mistyriver

I’ve heard people complain about Turnbull Wildlife Refuge as pretty tick infested.

Thank you for the suggestion! Right now my team and I are trying to be put on permit to legally extract the ticks form the park.

[Heagle]

Originally Posted by 509

Your at the wrong time of year for collecting lots of ticks.

The largest tick populations are in the Columbia Basin. I lived and worked in the woods in North Idaho and those populations are very low compared to the Basin.

The lower Crab Creek drainage had a lot of ticks. So much so that the bushes literally moved with ticks there were some many hanging waiting for a warm blooded mammal to walk past!! The area just got burned over in the 243 fire so not sure how it would be next year.

Dodson Road area is infested with ticks particularly areas with high sage and Russian Olive populations. I camped there one Memorial Day and left after an hour or two after finding about 20 ticks in the tent trailer in that one hour!!

I always put tick repellent on my dog in April and May. By July, I stop applying it since I rarely find a tick after June on the dog.

IF you need tick samples now...you might want to contact the Forest Service and ask them. They might even get their field workers to collect them off their bodies for you. At this time of year, it might be the simplest way to collect them.

What is your study on ticks?? Are you focusing on a particular tick species??

Yes unfortunately as it gets hotter, the ticks will be harder to find.Thank you for the great suggestions, I'll be sure to look into Crab Creek, Dodson Road area, as well as contact the Forest Service. Our study at the university is focusing on behaviors of the Rocky Mountain Wood tick as well as the American Dog Tick. Thank you so much for the help.

[Heagle]

Originally Posted by PS90

The WA state Department of Health did a fairly intensive tick analysis study for a few years. They were asking for submission of ticks by vet clinics, etc, for species identification and things like whether or not they were carrying the pathogen responsible for Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, and a few other things.

I think that the funding for this dried up a few years ago, but you could call them an/or poke around on their website for the study results from a few years back.

If I remember right, Columbia Basin and NE WA had the most ticks, but I don't remember anything specifically. I am fairly sure that the entire state has a tick problem, just with differing levels of severity.

I will make sure to reach out WA state Department of Health and discuss. Thank you for the recommendations on where to snoop for ticks.

[Heagle]

Originally Posted by mistyriver

I’m getting my info from our neighborhood group on Nextdoor since the OP asked for the Spokane area or NE WA. Lots of griping about ticks at Turnbull. Also in the Dishman Hills. One person complained about the back trails at Rimrock (Palisades), Moran Prairie area and the bluff trails on the South Hill. Several said the South Hill dog parks were crawling with them.
My dog is on Bravecto and he’s never gotten any here, in fact in 14 year living in the woods in northern Idaho, we never had ANY ticks.
Local veterinarians might have some insight too.

Good luck, OP...my daughter is a Zag too. At the law school.

Thanks again mistyriver for another great recommendation.