How should a tick be stored properly? - briefly
Store the «tick» in a clearly labeled, airtight container and keep it refrigerated at 4 °C for short‑term storage or frozen at –20 °C for long‑term preservation. Ensure the label records collection date, location, and host details.
How should a tick be stored properly? - in detail
Proper preservation of a tick begins immediately after removal. The specimen must be placed in a container that prevents leakage and protects the handler from potential pathogens. Use a screw‑cap tube or a sealed plastic vial with a secure lid.
- Transfer the tick into 70 %–95 % ethanol. Ethanol penetrates the cuticle, halts enzymatic activity, and maintains morphological features for later identification. Ensure the volume of ethanol exceeds the tick’s volume by at least tenfold to avoid dilution by residual moisture.
- Label the container with collection date, location, host species, and collector’s name. Use waterproof ink or pre‑printed labels to prevent smearing.
- Store the sealed vial at room temperature, away from direct sunlight. For long‑term archiving, relocate the specimen to a refrigerator (4 °C) or a freezer (‑20 °C). Freezing preserves DNA integrity for molecular analyses, but avoid repeated thaw‑freeze cycles.
- If ethanol is unavailable, place the tick in a dry, sterile tube with silica desiccant. Desiccation retains external morphology but may compromise DNA quality; therefore, use this method only when rapid processing is impossible.
- Transport the container in a rigid secondary enclosure, such as a padded box, to prevent breakage. Include absorbent material to contain accidental spills.
Safety precautions: handle the specimen with disposable gloves, work in a well‑ventilated area, and dispose of used ethanol according to hazardous‑waste regulations. Following these steps ensures the tick remains viable for morphological examination, pathogen detection, and future research.