Community Involvement
SUBMIT A SAMPLE
We are always looking for ticks and brown (or black) widow spiders in the region. If you have found any ticks or widows and would like to donate them to our research, please contact us and we will gladly accept or even come collect them! You may contact us by email: [email protected] or by phone: 936.468.2232.
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REQUEST AN EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH EVENT
We would love to come to your school or organization to talk about ticks or spiders and even bring live and/or preserved specimens. If you are interested in having us do so, contact us by email: [email protected] or by phone: 936.468.2232.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is the best way to remove a tick?
The most appropriate way to remove a tick is to firmly grab the tick as close to the skin as possible, with the assistance of tweezers if they are available, and pull the tick out. Attempting to remove ticks in any other fashion may cause ticks to inject more saliva into the bite site, and since saliva is the source of disease-causing pathogens carried by ticks, this is the last thing you want to happen. Showering, using nail polish, burning, and electrocuting, are not effective ways to remove ticks. Ticks should be removed immediately to decrease the chance they will cause disease. If a tick bites you, you should watch for any signs of illness for a period of at least 10 days, however, be sure to contact your doctor immediately if you have any signs of illness at any point after a tick bite.
Is a brown widow the same thing as a brown recluse?
Brown widows are not the same as brown recluses. Brown widows are closely related to black widows and can look very similar to them. They have hour glasses on the bottom (underside) of their abdomens, just like black widows. The easiest way to identify a brown widow is to look for the spiky egg sacs that the females lay. Black widows do not lay spiky egg sacs.
I FOUND A TICK ON ME. what should i do?
If a tick bites you, you should watch for any signs of illness for a period of at least 10 days, however, be sure to contact your doctor immediately if you have any signs of illness at any point after a tick bite. If a tick is still attached to you, see the answer to 'What is the best way to remove a tick.'
Photo used under Creative Commons from ancona.diagnostica.izsum