How to retrieve a forest tick? - briefly
Use fine‑point tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible and pull upward with steady, even pressure. After removal, disinfect the bite site and place the tick in a sealed container if it needs to be examined.
How to retrieve a forest tick? - in detail
Collecting a tick discovered in a wooded environment requires systematic preparation, precise handling, and proper post‑collection procedures.
First, equip yourself with disposable nitrile gloves, a fine‑pointed tweezers or a specialized tick removal tool, and a small sterile container (e.g., a 1.5 ml microtube) pre‑filled with 70 % ethanol or a moist cotton ball for short‑term storage. Dress in long sleeves and trousers to minimize additional exposure.
Locate the tick on the host or substrate. If attached to skin, grasp the tick as close to the mouthparts as possible, avoiding compression of the body. Apply steady, upward pressure with the tweezers, pulling straight out without twisting. Release the specimen into the ethanol‑filled tube or place it on the moist cotton, then seal the container.
If the tick is free on leaf litter or bark, use a fine brush or a soft aspirator to transfer it into the container without direct hand contact. Record the exact GPS coordinates, elevation, date, time, and habitat description in a field notebook or digital log. Capture a high‑resolution photograph of the specimen against a ruler for size reference before preservation.
After collection, label the container with all recorded data. Store ethanol‑preserved samples at 4 °C if they will be examined within a few weeks; otherwise, transfer to a -20 °C freezer for long‑term archiving. For morphological or molecular analysis, follow laboratory protocols for DNA extraction or microscopy, ensuring that the specimen remains intact.
Key points for reliable retrieval:
- Wear protective gloves throughout the process.
- Use calibrated tweezers or a dedicated tick removal device.
- Preserve immediately in ethanol or a humid environment to prevent desiccation.
- Document location, environmental conditions, and specimen morphology.
- Store samples at appropriate temperatures until analysis.
Adhering to this protocol maximizes the integrity of the tick for subsequent identification, pathogen testing, and ecological research.