Last few days to register!

Don’t miss this upcoming webinar about vector-borne disease epidemiology!

Hope to see you there.

🔗 Register here: extension.psu.edu/vector-borne...

Direct Link: extension.psu.edu/biting-pests...

👥 Who should attend?
Public health professionals, educators, students, and anyone interested in the history and science of Lyme disease.

This webinar is free, but registration is required to receive the access link. A recording will also be available to registrants after the event.

This session will walk through:
✔️ How Lyme disease was first identified in Europe and North America
✔️ The discovery of the causative bacterium and its spread
✔️ Key milestones in diagnosis and treatment
✔️ How decades of research continue to shape prevention and public health today

We’re excited to feature two outstanding experts:
• Robert P. Smith, MD, MPH
Director, Vector-borne Disease Lab, MaineHealth Institute for Research

• Kirby C. Stafford III, Ph.D.
Chief Scientist & State Entomologist Emeritus, Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station

📅 Date: May 26, 2026
⏰ Time: 12:00pm EDT
🔗 Register here: extension.psu.edu/biting-pests...

🦠 Biting Pests: The History of Lyme Disease
In recognition of Lyme Disease Awareness Month, Penn State Extension and VectorED Network are hosting a webinar that takes a step back to explore how our understanding of Lyme disease has evolved—and why that history still matters today.

Direct link: extension.psu.edu/vector-borne...

This webinar is ideal for Extension educators, public health professionals, and anyone involved in community education.

Learn how to:
✔ Understand key vectors and disease transmission
✔ Interpret epidemiological data and surveillance trends
✔ Translate science into impactful education and outreach

📅 Date: March 30
⏰ Time: 1pm EDT
🔗 Register: extension.psu.edu/vector-borne...

🦠 Vector-Borne Disease Epidemiology for Educators

Join Penn State Extension and VectorED Network for a professional development webinar designed to strengthen your understanding of vector-borne diseases and how to communicate risk effectively.

Every year, tick-borne diseases spread further, threatening families nationwide. With critical funding for research & prevention at risk, we need leaders to act NOW. Urge Congress to Reauthorize the Kay Hagan Tick Act - our health depends on it! Demand action: bit.ly/4l1Ntsk

Hear from @machtingerlab.bsky.social if you should be worried about ticks.

Neanderthals likely ate fermented meat with a side of maggots New research highlights the prevalence of maggots as an easily obtained, nutrient-rich supplement of ancient hominin diets.

Today’s special: Meat with a side of maggots. 🪰

New research suggests Neanderthals may have eaten fermented, maggot-rich meat, not just for survival, but as a routine (and nutritious) part of their diet.

theconversation.com/neanderthals...

#science #anthropology

Key takeaways from our discussion:
✅ Early detection saves lives
✅ Simple prevention strategies work
✅ Climate change is expanding tick habitats
Learn more about protecting yourself and your family

Understanding and preventing tick-borne disease in Pennsylvania Pennsylvania is one of the top states in the U.S. for reported cases of Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses. To better understand the risks and how to stay safe, we spoke with Erika Machtinger...

I recently shared insights on the growing challenge of tick-borne diseases in our state with Penn State's Institute of Energy and the Environment. From Lyme disease to emerging threats, understanding prevention is key to keeping our communities safe.

iee.psu.edu/news/blog/un...

📢Workshop Announcement📢

We have exciting news! The VectorED Network and PSU Extension are hosting a hands-on ectoparasite workshop at the ESA August meeting in Baltimore, MD on August 10th. 🦟🔬

Learn more and register now!
entsoc.org/events/ecopa...

So excited to see one of my articles out in the wild (@ Abington Equine Hospital)! Lots of good information on fly management in this issue.

Permission to bite: White‐footed mice show no increased grooming response to tick infestation White-footed mice (Peromyscus leucopus) are one of the most frequently studied hosts of blacklegged ticks (Ixodes scapularis); however, interactions between white-footed mice and ticks are not easily....

Read the paper 👉 doi.org/10.1111/jzo....

This work was from the graduate studies of Dr. Jessica Brown (now at the CT Ag Experiment Station).

Permission to Bite: Exploring White-Footed Mice and Their Surprising Tick Responses Attachment Issues: New Frontiers in Ectoparasites Research · Episode

Want to understand Lyme disease and host-parasite interactions better? We learned more about how white-footed mice (key Lyme disease reservoirs) respond to ticks. The results might surprise you! #PublicHealth #TickBorne #Research
Listen to the podcast 👉: spti.fi/mORwnw1

VECTOR Library launches to strengthen response to vector-borne disease threats | Penn State University As the United States observes Lyme Disease Awareness Month in May, public health and extension professionals across the country have a powerful new tool at their fingertips: the VECTOR Library, a cent...

A searchable database with over 1,200 educational materials from Land Grant Extension services focused on science-based education on vectors and vector-borne diseases.

Read more about it here ⬇️
www.psu.edu/news/agricul...

And visit the website yourself and look around! ⬇️
www.vector-education.org

Want more information on how to prevent tick bites? Want to watch a video? Or read a fact sheet? Want horse-specific information? Or something about dogs? You can find it all in the new Vector Education, Communication, and Training Online Resource (VECTOR) Library!

The 2025 field season is off to a great start! Our VectorED TEC interns are learning deer handling, out in the field mouse trapping, and conducting tick surveillance. They are also learning some vet skills, including skin biopsies and sutures and blood draws. A lot to get through in just two weeks!

Wrapped up year 3 collaborating with BFREE in Belize looking at tick diversity. Another amazing trip and 🤞 for upcoming proposals so we can continue!

www.bfreebz.org

Tapir!

Another amazing day in Belize. Anyone want to guess the animal these ticks are on?

Another amazing trip to Belize. Can anyone guess what animal these ticks are on?

First morning back in the jungle @ Belize Foundation for Research and Environmental Education - Full day of tick dragging and grant planning ahead!