Thomas Mather

URI Professor || Public Health Entomology || SciComm || Appreciates citizen-science || Director, TickEncounter

[Thomas Mather @thetickguy]

Moving on from X. The TickGuy will now be posting on BlueSky. It's easy. Come and check out a tick just encountered on a trail run in Santa Rosa CA. And it's not a western blacklegged tick! @thetickguy.bsky.social

[Thomas Mather @thetickguy]

2025 Resolutions
· Be more vigilant about protecting family from ticks
· Stay up to date on which ticks are active (https://t.co/b7ZJ8Y0ckQ)
· Send photo of every tick we find to TickSpotters (https://t.co/LJpF9KQpR3)
· Share tick info with family and friends

[Thomas Mather @thetickguy]

Reindeer have a dense network of blood vessels inside their noses. So, of course, it’s where ticks would be adapted to attach and feed. And, you can’t fault an animal scratching an itchy tick--then it ruptures and blood oozes, painting the nose red. Hey, it could happen!

[Thomas Mather @thetickguy]

It’s common to think ticks die in winter. Just because “bugs” are less active when temperatures get cold, doesn’t mean they're dead. They’re cold blooded and go into a torpor state. And blacklegged ticks can become active whenever temps warm up a bit. https://t.co/7RdGMeDuwJ

[Thomas Mather @thetickguy]

It’s a ticky world out there...so, it’s important to know how to remove ticks safely. Using pointy tweezers, and grasp the tick head close to the skin without squeezing the back end of the tick, is most effective for ALL types of ticks. Check this out... https://t.co/aiT1HNGEI3

[Thomas Mather @thetickguy]

@tom_r1111 we start with blood-fed adult ticks that lay eggs; when eggs hatch, we bloodfeed the larvae that become nymphs. We use nymphs for various experiments but mainly will be evaluating natural product tick repellents. By raising the ticks we control for experimental variability.

[Thomas Mather @thetickguy]

#tickresearch Today we harvested a hundred blood-engorged blacklegged ticks. After a bath, we’re drying them off and rounding them up to put in the incubator and await egg laying. If all goes well, this round-up could result in 200,000 new larval ticks. https://t.co/Jh4Bv2vS0s

[Thomas Mather @thetickguy]

Found the tick loose and wandering at the spot where the dog was laying down. Ticks detach themselves once fully engorged. In the house, this tick WON’T survive to lay eggs, but out in nature it WILL lay over 2,000 eggs. See how ticks change appearance https://t.co/nl1FQuEFhJ

[Thomas Mather @thetickguy]

These ticks glue themselves into the skin while feeding, so it can be hard not to break off the mouth. The good news: there is no greater risk for disease transmission if the mouth gets left in the skin. We recommend grabbing the tick with pointy tweezers https://t.co/aiT1HNGEI3

[Thomas Mather @thetickguy]

Most submissions to #TickSpotters come either after dinner OR first thing in the morning!! Morning ticks ...probably slept with you all night (yuck). Before climbing into bed tonight, do a full body tick check. If you find a tick, take a photo and submit it to TickSpotters.

[Thomas Mather @thetickguy]

“Why won’t the ticks just go away?”
“No ticks since July!”
“I thought tick “season” was over?”
Just a few of the comments we hear this time of year.
BeReadyForFallTicks—more info @ https://t.co/3N3HwsI53f

[Thomas Mather @thetickguy]

To learn more about adult blacklegged ticks and the risk they pose to you and your family, open this link (https://t.co/fjdmhJYSxN), then click your region on the map and scroll down to see when these ticks are active in your area.

[Thomas Mather @thetickguy]

If this has ever happened to you, or if you DON’T want this to ever happen to you...you REALLY need to read and share this blog: Flip-flop Ticks - https://t.co/BPtfh0GGDN @LonnieRhea @twoalphagals @RealMalachowski @insect_shield @BugBiteThing

[Thomas Mather @thetickguy]

here's the answer if you haven't guessed--male Gulf Coast tick (Amblyomma maculatum)

[Thomas Mather @thetickguy]

Have you ever seen this tick? We’ve gotten photos of these from Rochester NY to Patagonia AZ, GA, TN, and even NY City. Here’s a clue...https://t.co/UrNeUTkfWd. Always submit your tick pics to TickSpotters https://t.co/uxVb3X6C3x

[Thomas Mather @thetickguy]

All types of ticks come in small, medium and large life stages. But this photo really puts into perspective the meaning of small. You really do have to look to find them. https://t.co/fWAoMbGb85

[Thomas Mather @thetickguy]

These ticks are still biting, late into their season this year, so continue being vigilant with wearing permethrin-treated clothing and tucking in pants and shirttails. And doing a quick scan of common attachment points every day. Check this out-https://t.co/7RdGMeDuwJ

[Thomas Mather @thetickguy]

@RealMalachowski Rest in peace dear Pat

[Thomas Mather @thetickguy]

First Good News: tick activity is dropping off. Dropping off but not disappearing... keep doing tick checks so you don’t end up with a tick like this one! Also, help us track tick activity by submitting any ticks you find to TickSpotters_free, fast reply! https://t.co/uxVb3X6C3x

[Thomas Mather @thetickguy]

It’s that time of year when LARVAL TICKS become active. They hatch from egg clusters—mostly disease-free—but it’s very common to encounter many. They can be hard to notice until they’re full of blood, 3-4 days after attaching. How to prevent LARVAE https://t.co/fWAoMbGb85