D3199: From cotton to control: Evaluating the efficacy of Thermacell’s tick tubes

In the northeastern U.S., Ixodes scapularis is the primary vector of Borrelia burgdorferi, the causative agent of Lyme disease. Mice (Peromyscus leucopus) are hosts for the immature life stages of this tick and is a critical reservoir for the Lyme disease pathogen. Tick management options are limited, especially for homeowners. Tick management tubes, which target ticks that feed on mice, are available for homeowners to use without the need for a pest management professional. However, effective tick management requires understanding target host behavior and broader ecological interactions among multiple host species and environmental variables. Recent data suggests that tick tube applications may need to be more frequent to provide sufficient product to hosts. For this study, I will evaluate the effect of tube deployment frequency on questing tick reduction, comparing two versus six applications annually. In addition, I will explore host-specific variations in tick burdens and pathogen dynamics within treatment areas. Preliminary findings reveal complex tick-host interactions, with differences in tick burdens across small mammal species and variability in questing tick densities between sites. These results highlight the importance of considering host behaviors, habitat characteristics, and seasonal tick activity in designing management strategies. Future research will integrate pathogen prevalence, host community composition, and environmental factors to optimize tick management strategies. By addressing interactions driving tick-host dynamics and pathogen spread, this research seeks to develop more effective, ecologically informed strategies to mitigate the increasing burden of tick-borne diseases under shifting environmental conditions.