iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Thomas Mather @thetickguy.bsky.social · 12/05/2026

HUH...just when you think you’ve seen it all, somebody comes along and proves you wrong. But hey, it worked!! Got a photo of the TOP SIDE and everything. bit.ly/tickspotters...

000

Thomas Mather @thetickguy.bsky.social · 12/04/2026

DEFINITELY time to start protecting your pets from ticks...and your kids, and yourselves!! Here’s a few simple things the TickGuy starts doing in early Spring to keep ticks from biting...https://bit.ly/early_spring_ticks

000

Thomas Mather @thetickguy.bsky.social · 02/04/2026

“DO A TICK CHECK DAILY!” Common advice for preventing tickborne diseases. Agreed, but it helps A LOT to “know what you’re looking for”. Knowing the most likely type of tick and tick lifestage you might encounter at different times of the year helps make TICK CHECKS more effective. bit.ly/tick_finder

000

Thomas Mather @thetickguy.bsky.social · 28/03/2026

So, you just found a tick, and now you really need to know the BEST next 3 things to do. Scan the QR code and find out. Where would you put the TickQR sticker so it’s ready to use the next time you find a tick?

000

Thomas Mather @thetickguy.bsky.social · 04/02/2026

First thing to know, it’s a lone star tick...feeding for 4 days!! Not to worry about Lyme disease, but--We’ve updated our lone star tick info, with new alpha-gal syndrome resources. Click the “See the Star?” link linktr.ee/tickencounter #camplife #traveltips

011

Thomas Mather @thetickguy.bsky.social · 24/01/2026

While people over half the US are experiencing a brutal winter storm that has pretty-well shut down tick activity, people and pets along the west coast are being bitten by these – adult stage female western blacklegged ticks. More info bit.ly/tick_species...

011

Thomas Mather @thetickguy.bsky.social · 24/11/2025

YIKES!! Here are the first 4 TickSpotters submissions last night—4 day feeding—two on pets and 2 on people. DYK, the longer ticks are feeding, the greater chance to transmit an infectious dose of any germ they're carrying. Help stop disease with DAILY TICK CHECKS! bit.ly/do_a_tick_ch...

011

Thomas Mather @thetickguy.bsky.social · 22/11/2025

Removing a tick completely can be hard—the mouth may break off. Removing a tick safely is easier...if you can keep from squeezing the tick. Firmly grab the tick as close to the skin as possible, along the dashed line, to prevent squeezing the body. bit.ly/safetickremo... @bugbitething.bsky.social

000

Thomas Mather @thetickguy.bsky.social · 15/11/2025

Yes, it is still blacklegged tick season! And this is the most common “size” on dogs—attached and feeding for about 3-4 days. When they get that size, they start to poke out of the fur; you can feel them more easily, too. Keep protecting your pets...and yourself! bit.ly/Fall_ticks_q...

000

Thomas Mather @thetickguy.bsky.social · 07/11/2025

Working on a new feature – TickEncounter Trends – based on reports to #TickSpotters. This one for adult blacklegged (deer) ticks is cool as it clearly shows their 2 distinct activity peaks. So far, adult blacklegged ticks are running a little above average this year!!

182

Thomas Mather @thetickguy.bsky.social · 02/11/2025

Depending on your location, it’s possible you could encounter a tick that’s NOT a blacklegged (deer) tick, but not very likely. October and November are PEAK season for these ticks. Have a little fun with our Ticknado video (bit.ly/TicknadoYouT...)

000

Thomas Mather @thetickguy.bsky.social · 26/10/2025

145 female blacklegged ticks, to be precise! With a typical Lyme disease infection rate of about 50%, 73 are likely carrying the Lyme disease germ. Some could also be carrying babesia and anaplasma. 1 or 2 could even be carrying the Powassan virus. Good thing they’re sealed in a vial.

121

Thomas Mather @thetickguy.bsky.social · 24/10/2025

How much do you know about ticks in the Fall. Try our newest Quizlet flash card deck – “Ticks In Fall” and find out. bit.ly/Fall_ticks_q...

021

Thomas Mather @thetickguy.bsky.social · 20/10/2025

What happens when you forget your TICK CHECK? This!!! bit.ly/fallticks

000

Thomas Mather @thetickguy.bsky.social · 19/10/2025

In the Fall, #TickSpotters gets the largest number of submissions on Mondays and Tuesdays. Why? Because of more people doing outdoor activities on the weekend, and not being reminded to do a TICK CHECK. Consider yourself reminded. bit.ly/fallticks

011

Thomas Mather @thetickguy.bsky.social · 01/10/2025

Depending on where you live or play, these are the ticks and likelihood of an encounter during October—the month when adult blacklegged ticks dominate, and it only gets worse...thru Thanksgiving! So, keep tucking shirts and pant legs, and check regularly. More TickSafe info - bit.ly/fallticks

011

Thomas Mather @thetickguy.bsky.social · 25/09/2025

TICKSPOTTERS: Use this first adult blacklegged tick of the fall report as a CALL TO ACTION. Adult blacklegged ticks are about to EXPLODE onto the scene. Here’s your to-do list: treat your pet, treat your pants (w/permethrin), and tuck in your shirt. More ways to stay tick-safe bit.ly/fallticks

021

Thomas Mather @thetickguy.bsky.social · 15/09/2025

...very small, circular body form, 8 legs, long mouthparts, 12-13 festoons; possible trigger for AGS, not to mention ehrlichiosis; and the fastest tick around. If ESPN ever starts up tick racing, lone stars are a safe bet for the win! (they climb up under your untucked clothes pretty quickly, too.

021

Thomas Mather @thetickguy.bsky.social · 30/08/2025

Even though summer is almost over, people are still encountering ticks. And nymph stage lone star ticks like this one are the most likely tick you’ll encounter through most of the southern and eastern states at this time of year. Click here (bit.ly/summerticks) to see what’s biting.

011

Thomas Mather @thetickguy.bsky.social · 19/08/2025

LARVAE TIME. Aug/Sept is when the youngest stage of many types of ticks become most active. Thousands of 6-legged specks hatch from dime-sized clumps of eggs, and then they generally cluster together while they wait for a host to come by. Here’s a story of what can happen next (bit.ly/flipflopticks)

021

Thomas Mather @thetickguy.bsky.social · 02/08/2025

Tick encounters tend to go down in August. That’s a relief after making it through the 3 “tickiest” months of May, June and July. But there are still ticks out there. Here are the ticks to look out for in August. It's also larval tick season, and they're hard to see. More info: bit.ly/tickspecies.

022

Thomas Mather @thetickguy.bsky.social · 28/07/2025

If a 3-year-old can spot a tick and call it out, then you can, too!! I admit I’ve been training my grandkids to know a tick when they see one, and to know we need to get it off right away. Find a blog (bit.ly/TickGuy-blogs) about another tick on one of my grandkids and win a prize. Reply w/title.

121

Thomas Mather @thetickguy.bsky.social · 02/07/2025

Here’s an insightful new article for helping prevent tick bites like the pros... bit.ly/webMD_tickpr...

043

Thomas Mather @thetickguy.bsky.social · 29/06/2025

In this situation, using a sharp or pointy tick remover is probably not a good idea. But a non-pointy slotted scoop might be safer. Check out our “Safe Tick Removal” info (bit.ly/safetickremo...)

011

Thomas Mather @thetickguy.bsky.social · 24/06/2025

Here’s a TickSmart hack to help you find these tiny ticks_do it every day! bit.ly/tick-finding...

000

Thomas Mather @thetickguy.bsky.social · 03/06/2025

After a near-record high for submissions to #TickSpotters in May, we thought you might like to know which ticks to look out for in June. Want more info on any of these, we've got it here: bit.ly/tickspecies.

010

Thomas Mather @thetickguy.bsky.social · 20/05/2025

We always tell people to run their outsider clothes through a hot dryer for 10 min before washing, and this TickSpotters experience is why... "found on damp clothing being removed from washing machine. alive and moving! Not expecting that." Check out Tip #1 bit.ly/dry_then_wash

021

Thomas Mather @thetickguy.bsky.social · 18/05/2025

They're back and numbers are growing. Double down with your tick checks. These ticks generally latch on at shoe level and crawl up. Keep it from happening by spraying shoes with permethrin spray--let dry before wearing. Protection lasts a month. We've got tips--https://bit.ly/all_things_TickSmart

121

Thomas Mather @thetickguy.bsky.social · 28/04/2025

It's good to know what kind of tick was biting you to know the risk for any disease. Like this one doesn't transmit the germ causing Lyme disease, and less than 1 in 100 carries the germ causing Rocky Mtn spotted fever. Check out our tools to know your ticks. web.uri.edu/tickencounte...

010

Thomas Mather @thetickguy.bsky.social · 19/04/2025

Here’s the backstory on this one... “felt an itch on my back. I went to scratch, and this tick fell into my hand. I have no idea when or how it got there”.

010

Thomas Mather @thetickguy.bsky.social · 13/04/2025

It was right there...in the hair...yet never did I see it. Until one day...when I washed and sprayed, My darling, didn’t you feel bit? About 50% of these ticks are infected with Lyme disease germs, and other germs, too!! These are the things that happen!!! Time to double down on tick checks!!!!

010

Thomas Mather @thetickguy.bsky.social · 12/04/2025

Ticks change appearance as they feed. They’re often hard to notice for a day or even 2. But when they look like this 3-day fed tick, people have trouble believing they missed seeing it for so long. Just remember, it didn’t look like that even 12 hrs ago. What did it look like? bit.ly/tick_growth

020

Thomas Mather @thetickguy.bsky.social · 09/04/2025

All your important tick questions answered—IN ONE PLACE!! TickSpotters, TickSmart prevention tips, and more! Click here to explore: linktr.ee/tickencounter

010

Thomas Mather @thetickguy.bsky.social · 30/03/2025

The most common early Spring ticks are actually left-overs from Fall. Adult blacklegged ticks first become active in Oct/Nov. If they don’t find a host, they're not killed by cold. When it warms, usually in March, they try again. Test what you know about early Spring ticks. bit.ly/TickSmart_Qu...

031

Thomas Mather @thetickguy.bsky.social · 28/03/2025

The TickGuy has a new, fun way for people to test their tick knowledge and get season-sensitive information to stay tick-safe. Try our TickSmart Quizlet flash cards today. And more to come! bit.ly/TickSmart_Qu...

010

Thomas Mather @thetickguy.bsky.social · 22/03/2025

There are a lot of great products to help keep ticks from getting to this state, and NOW definitely is the time to start using one of them. bit.ly/pet_tick_con...

010

Thomas Mather @thetickguy.bsky.social · 10/03/2025

Have YOU just found a tick? Well, we want to see it!!! (especially from the west coast). We’ll confirm the tick ID and help guide your best next actions. Just take a clear photo and follow the instructions to submit it to TickSpotters. bit.ly/TickSpotters...

010

Thomas Mather @thetickguy.bsky.social · 03/03/2025

First one this year from a northern state. When the lone star ticks start stalking, you gotta know Spring must be right around the corner. But are YOU ready? We’ve got all the tips you need to #BeReadyForTicks right here...https://bit.ly/TicksSpring2020b

031

Thomas Mather @thetickguy.bsky.social · 02/03/2025

Maybe you've taken a break from treating your pet this winter, but NOW is definitely the time to get started again!! bit.ly/protectpetsf...

000

Thomas Mather @thetickguy.bsky.social · 08/02/2025

2 reports; 2 days apart; from 2 different people. One of which reported staying at a local hotel, and the other one didn't say. We're thinking there may be a problem here... /bedbugs, Don'tBringThemHome, bit.ly/3LLpj61

000

Thomas Mather @thetickguy.bsky.social · 04/02/2025

Finding a loose tick inside your home can be ... unsettling ... but even worse if it’s attached to a family member. The TickGuy has heard hundreds of stories about ticks inside, and here’s one he wrote about the subject. bit.ly/ticksinside

000

Thomas Mather @thetickguy.bsky.social · 21/01/2025

But unfortunately, that product doesn’t kill ticks—just fleas, heartworms, and hookworms. There are 3 great products though that bundle killing ticks, fleas, and worms: NexGard Plus, Simparica Trio, and Revolution Plus. Check with your vet to pick the right product for your pet.

010

Thomas Mather @thetickguy.bsky.social · 18/01/2025

Two days (Jan 12-13) of daytime temperatures near 45 is enough to wake these ticks up. They’re not dead, just chillin’ when it’s cold. And this is what you find 4 days later. Check out bit.ly/wintertickac...

010

Thomas Mather @thetickguy.bsky.social · 17/01/2025

Be sure to let TickSpotters know if you (or your pet) find a tick (bit.ly/TickSpotters...)

010

Thomas Mather @thetickguy.bsky.social · 09/01/2025

OUTRAGE X2!! Isn’t much of the country being pummeled by winter storms? And yet, somehow some poor dog has been serving as a meal for this tick for days. Just when it seems safe to stop the pet’s tick meds...we see examples of why it’s probably not safe to stop the pet meds. bit.ly/protectpetsf...

010

Thomas Mather @thetickguy.bsky.social · 07/01/2025

Good to know... Because Pac Coast ticks don’t transmit Lyme disease germs. Recognizable by the “smudged-looking” white pigment pattern on the body. Want to know more? bit.ly/PacCoasttick

130