The Cayuga Nature Center has partnered with the Tompkins County Health Department on a new exhibit about Ticks and Lyme Disease, now on display at the Cayuga Nature Center.

With new tick-borne diseases discovered in recent years, and with infections from them steadily increasing, this new exhibit can help inform parents and children about how to best reduce their chances of developing serious illness.

The new exhibit at the Cayuga Nature Center includes information about the biology, evolution, and lifecycle of ticks, and it explores Lyme disease and how it is transmitted. On display are examples of the types of animals used by the ticks during their lifecycle, and a large-scale model of a deer tick.

Ticks are often in the news these days because of the diseases they carry. Says PRI Director Warren Allmon, "We created this exhibit with the Tompkins County Health Department to inform people about tick-borne diseases. The exhibit is special because ticks also happen to be ecologically fascinating organisms that demonstrate the complex interconnectedness of species in our local ecosystem, including humans."

Most tick-borne diseases, including Lyme disease, can be successfully treated with antibiotics especially if treatment is started early; however, preventing tick bites is your best defense against tick-borne diseases.

This summer, the Tompkins County Health Department has provided information packets for distribution to Cayuga Nature Center summer camp attendees, as well as informative brochures and tick ID cards that are available at the exhibit for visitors to take home. The Tompkins County Health Department also provided a grant to help fund the creation of the exhibit. The exhibit is open to all and is included in the price of admission to the Nature Center.

"The Health Department is pleased to partner with Cayuga Nature Center to raise awareness about how to prevent tick-borne diseases. Summer is the season for ticks, so we encourage the public to take advantage of this informative and exciting exhibit," said Frank Kruppa, Director of Public Health.

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