Guidance

Tick Surveillance Scheme (report a tick)

UKHSA’s Tick Surveillance Scheme helps to map and monitor tick distribution and associated risk of exposure to ticks in the UK.

From:
UK Health Security Agency and Centre for Climate and Health Security
Published
2 April 2012
Last updated
6 March 2025 — See all updates

Applies to England

CCHS navigation menu:
CCHS homepage
Topic: health impacts
Vector-borne disease: ticks
Part of: monitoring and research

Key resources for tick surveillance:

  • Tick Surveillance Scheme (report a tick)

More content:

About the tick surveillance scheme

The Tick Surveillance Scheme was set up in 2005 to map and monitor ticks across the UK. All records are available on the National Biodiversity Network (NBN) gateway for research and public use.

Data collected from the TSS informs UKHSA’s assessments of the public health impact of ticks. Tick samples sent to UKHSA provide valuable information on the distribution of tick species present across the UK, their seasonal activity and their host associations. This information helps to highlight which tick species are important to human and animal health and helps UKHSA to detect the presence of species that are not normally resident in the UK.

The main aims of the scheme are to:

  • promote the surveillance of ticks in the UK
  • monitor tick distribution and seasonality on a nationwide scale
  • determine the diversity of ticks infesting humans and animals
  • detect non-native (imported) or rare UK tick species

By sending in a tick, you are contributing to the formation of distribution maps see example for Ixodes ricinus which enables us to achieve the points above.


Figure 1: Map outlining where ticks (Ixodes ricinus) are reported across England, Scotland and Wales


Report a tick

UKHSA relies upon members of the public, health practitioners, veterinary practitioners, wildlife groups and others to submit ticks to the scheme.

If you or a member of your family have been bitten by a tick, or you have removed a tick from an animal (pet or wildlife), you can report a tick through our form and send ticks to us in the post.

Please use the guidance below before filling out the form.

Information required

Each tick must be accompanied by a recording form and must include the date and location of collection and the host from which the tick was removed. If you provide us with your email address, we will notify you of the results of the identification.

Different hosts

If ticks are collected from different hosts or locations, place them in separate containers with a recording form for each container.

Same hosts

Ticks from the same host on the same day may be sent in one container.

Postage

If submitting multiple records from same host, group containers in envelopes to save postage, ensuring each sample has its own recording form. Please see the following section ‘sending ticks to us’ for more information.

Preventing deterioration

To prevent deterioration of the ticks, place them in a fridge or cool, dark place and post as soon as possible.

Complete a Tick Surveillance Scheme (TSS) recording form.

Start now

Note:

UKHSA does not routinely test ticks submitted through our TSS for pathogens (such as the bacteria that cause Lyme disease). Some sources of alternative health advice recommend testing ticks after removal for evidence of Borrelia bacteria and commercial companies are starting to offer tick-testing services. The results of such tests should not be used to inform diagnosis or treatment following a tick bite. A positive result does not mean that the infected tick will have passed on the bacteria – there are many factors that determine whether Lyme disease results from a bite from an infected tick. A negative result may not be technically valid and could give false assurance, as it does not exclude the possibility that another tick elsewhere on the body has been missed.

Find out more about how tick and mosquito data is stored and used in the future.

Sending ticks to us

Please carefully package ticks so that the package does not become damaged during transit. We accept both live and dead ticks for identification. Live ticks must be sent first class.

When posting ticks, please make sure that you:

  1. use a small plastic container that is securely fastened - alternatively, a screw-top plastic vial can be supplied on request - email: tick@ukhsa.gov.uk

  2. post the container in a padded envelope with a visible return address

  3. mark the package as ‘URGENT - LIVING CREATURES - HANDLE WITH CARE’ (not necessary for dead ticks)

  4. include a completed recording form

  5. send to:

Tick Surveillance Scheme
UK Health Security Agency
Porton Down
Salisbury
Wiltshire
SP4 0JG

UKHSA aims to provide identification of ticks via email within 2 weeks of receipt (during exceptionally busy times, this may be longer).

Postage costs

Depending on how many ticks you are sending or the size of the tubes you are sending them in, the cost of postage may vary. It should cost approximately £1.50 to £3.50 to send a tick into the TSS when using the correct shipping materials and method.

Below are some suggested shipping methods, using Royal Mail:

  • large letter (maximum thickness 2.5cm, max 100g) - our usual vials in a small padded envelope will fit this category
  • small parcel (maximum thickness 16cm) - larger containers, for example, universal tubes used by vets, will need to go in this category

See Post Office price finder for up-to-date postage costs.

It is not necessary to post specimens using ‘signed for’ or ‘special delivery’.

Updates to this page

Published 2 April 2012
Last updated 6 March 2025 + show all updates

  1. The 'tick awareness' part of this page has been moved to a new page: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/tick-awareness-and-toolkit.

  2. Removal of 'tick awareness' published in error, reverted to previous live version.

  3. The 'tick awareness' part of this page has been moved to a new page. Please https://www.gov.uk/guidance/tick-awareness-and-toolkit.

  4. Added a link to the UKHSA privacy policy.

  5. Temporarily removed tick awareness for schools section.

  6. Added section on "How will my information be stored/used in the future?" and updated organisation details.

  7. Updated map showing records of Ixodes ricinus.

  8. Updated information on postage and testing ticks.

  9. Added information on tick-borne encephalitis.

  10. Updated guidance document with new Royal Mail postage costs.

  11. Updated resources link to TES website.

  12. Updated guidance and documents.

  13. Updated postage costs as of May 2016.

  14. First published.

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