Tuesdays, July 13, 20, and August 10
10:00 – 11:15 am
Open to Maine youth ages 9 & up
Maximum 10 attendees
Join the mission to monitor and study ticks in your community! Join Farmer Kristin of Lone Spruce Farm and Carla from the 4-H Tick Project for an interactive exploration of ticks in Maine. This workshop will explore ticks by collecting and preserving your own, identifying species, investigating where ticks are found in Maine, taking safety precautions when outdoors, and more. Participants will conduct tick drags to collect tick specimens in their local area. Specimens are returned to Hancock County 4-H, and then submitted to the UMaine Diagnostic Research Laboratory Tick Lab for identification and disease testing, which contributes to the lab’s Tick Surveillance program. Youth data also contribute to a community science (aka “citizen science”) project called the Maine Forest Tick Survey (https://umaine.edu/forestticksurvey), which is a multiyear, multidisciplinary research project established to determine how forest land management practices impact tick populations and disease risk across Maine. The project provides youth an opportunity to explore ticks and tick-borne diseases, which is a connected story of climate, ecosystem change, and public health.
All materials will be provided and will be available for pick up at your local county Extension office prior to the first meeting. Register by June 16.