Minnesotans! Sanford Health wants your ticks!
- Steve Jurrens
- Sep 22
- 2 min read
By Todd Epp, Northern Plains News
BEMIDJI, Minn. --- Sanford Health is calling on the public to help track ticks across Minnesota.
Residents can collect ticks found on themselves or their pets and submit them as part of the Tick Inventory via Citizen Science project, according to a news release from Sanford Health.
The Marshfield Clinic Research Institute, now part of Sanford Health, launched the program in Wisconsin in 2024. More than 6,000 ticks were submitted last year, with over 5,400 identified so far this year. The study aims to identify species, assess disease risk, and learn more about who is being exposed to tickborne illnesses.
"We had overwhelming support from people who are curious and invested in helping better identify the health threats associated with ticks," said Jennifer Meece, executive director of the Marshfield Clinic Research Institute.
Sanford Health officials said the expansion into Minnesota is driven by the wide range of tick species across the Midwest. "With new tick species becoming more prevalent in Wisconsin and Minnesota, the risk for potential newly introduced diseases increases," said Dr. Daniel Hoody, chief medical officer of Sanford Health Bemidji.
Most ticks submitted this year have been American dog ticks, also known as wood ticks, with deer ticks making up much of the rest. Researchers note that the larger wood ticks are easier to see than smaller deer ticks.
Tick collection kits are available at the Sanford Bemidji Walk-In Clinic, 1611 Anne St. NW. Kits can also be requested by emailing tics@marshfieldclinic.org or by calling 715-389-7796 ext. 16462. Once collected, ticks---dead or alive---can be mailed in using the provided kits. Participants can later check an online dashboard to see which species they submitted.
Sanford Health encourages submissions from across Minnesota, regardless of whether participants are current patients.
