Scientists launch mobile app to track tick migration in Poland

Researchers have introduced a free mobile application designed to help the public monitor the migration and presence of various tick species. The app, part of the European COST Action PragmaTick program, is available in 22 languages and allows hikers, fishermen, and pet owners to report sightings of arachnids.

Led by Dr. Anna Wierzbicka from the Poznań University of Life Sciences, the initiative aims to map tick distribution more comprehensively than current fragmented data allows. A primary goal is to determine if migratory ticks, often referred to as ‘African ticks,’ have established permanent populations in Poland. These migratory species differ from native common and meadow ticks as they are larger, actively pursue hosts, and can transmit different diseases, such as Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever.

Users are encouraged to report rare species, which may prompt researchers to conduct on-site investigations to verify if the presence of the species is permanent.