Staying safe from ticks this summer
UC biologist tells Fox19 how to prevent tick-borne disease
Ticks are a common summer pest for many people.
A University of Cincinnati biologist told Fox19 there are ways that people can keep ticks from ruining their outdoor pastimes.
“It's looking like it's going to be a pretty strong year for ticks,” UC Professor Joshua Benoit told Fox19Now. “It was a very mild winter and many of them survived.”
Ticks are a common outdoor pest in the summertime. Photo/Jay Yocis/UC
Benoit and his students study ticks, mosquitoes and other disease-carrying pests in his biology lab in UC's College of Arts and Sciences.
Benoit said Cincinnati has seen a dramatic increase black-legged ticks, which can carry Lyme disease.
The best way to address ticks is to check clothing and the fur of your dog after walks in the woods. Benoit said ticks can sometimes hide around a dog's soft ears. He recommends removing them by hand or with tweezers, particularly before they have a chance to latch their mouthparts into the skin.
Lyme disease is becoming more common in eastern Ohio and is often spread by immature ticks, which can be especially hard to detect, according to the Ohio Department of Health. The nymphs are less than two millimeters long.
Lyme disease symptoms can be observed 3 to 30 days after a tick bite and can include a bullseye rash, headache, fever, chills, fatigue and sharp joint pain. Lyme disease is often treated with a course of antibiotics.
Featured image at top: UC Professor Joshua Benoit said this could be a bad summer for ticks. Photo/Jay Yocis/UC
UC biology students study ticks in the College of Arts and Sciences. Photo/Jay Yocis/UC
Related Stories
UC launches Bearcat Affordability Grant
January 7, 2026
The University of Cincinnati is making college more attainable for students across Ohio with the creation of the Bearcat Affordability Grant. The new grant will provide a pathway to tuition-free college for students of families who make less than $75,000 per year. Beginning in fall 2026, the Bearcat Affordability Grant will cover the remaining cost of tuition for Ohio residents who are Pell eligible.
How aerospace is turning to trustworthy AI
January 6, 2026
UC College of Engineering and Applied Science graduate Lynn Pickering talks to the Ohio Federal Research Network about her research into artificial intelligence and the future of AI in aerospace engineering.
UC's art collection on display at the Contemporary Arts Center
January 5, 2026
University of Cincinnati leaders joined WVXU's Cincinnati Edition to talk about the university’s 200-year-old art collection, a new exhibition at the Contemporary Arts Center and the release of a companion book exploring the collection’s role in education and public engagement.