It’s officially tick season and tick-borne diseases are on the rise in the United States. In Missouri, tick season spans from April through October. According to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, ticks are responsible for more human disease than any other insect in the United States.

“I want people to know that the risk from ticks and tick-borne diseases is real, and should not be neglected,” said ecologist Solny Adalsteinsson, PhD, Washington University in St. Louis. 

Adalsteinsson is a senior scientist at Washington University’s Tyson Research Center. In HEC Media’s video story, Adalsteinsson explained why ticks are fascinating to study and shared experiences that inspired her research pathway.