Tick Collections from parks, 2024-2025 Season (November 2024 through January 2025)

Laboratory staff continued winter surveillance for adult Ixodes pacificus (Western black-legged ticks) in January. Ticks are collected by dragging a one-meter square sheet of white flannel over the vegetation alongside trails: a technique called “flagging.” Ixodes pacificus ticks will be tested for the presence of Borrelia burgdorferi (the causative agent of Lyme disease), as well as Borrelia miyamotoi (the agent of hard-tick relapsing fever) and Anaplasma phagocytophilum (the agent of granulocytic anaplasmosis).

This January, staff continued tick inspections of residential properties as part of an ongoing project to evaluate the risk of tick exposure in yards. This season, the District is focusing on homes in the San Mateo Highlands neighborhood, west of the city of San Mateo and east of Interstate 280, but will check residential properties in other areas as well, upon request. During the month of January, 42 yards were surveyed for ticks.

Regular seasonal tick surveillance was conducted at Edgewood Park in Redwood City, Wunderlich Park in Woodside, and Laurelwood Park in San Mateo. Additionally, ticks were collected from Windy Hill Open Space Preserve in Portola Valley and sent to the Center for Disease Control to assist in a study regarding the tick-borne bacteria Borrelia miyamotoi.

 Tick Collections from parks and neighborhoods, 2024-2025 Season (through January 2025)

Page last reviewed February 20, 2025