Nebraskans urged to TickTagGo

North Central District Health Department officials are asking residents to help set baseline data on ticks in Nebraska by participating in the TickTagGo project at the University of Nebraska.

The program aims to identify and record tick presence and locations where they are found.

"The project relies on passive surveillance, the collection of ticks that you come across in your daily routine and activities on yourself and others you care for," officials said.

Photographic data may be submitted at the TickTag Go website, https://nebraskaonehealth.unl.edu/tick-tag-go or at https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/tick-tag-go.

Once a photo is submitted, an identification will be made, if possible.

Individuals interested in preserving a tick specimen for identification should store the tick in a leak-proof vial with rubbing alcohol (isopropyl alcohol) and contact the inaturalist website for shipment details.

As of Monday, July 8, 770 tick observations had been recorded by 293 observers on the site, including six species.