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How to Trap Live Ticks With Carbon Dioxide

Ticks are stealthy creatures that are able to attach themselves to animal and human hosts without causing them the least discomfort. They find hosts by using sensory pits on their legs to detect stimuli such as carbon dioxide, heat, light and dark, shapes, shadows and vibrations. Ticks don't fly, run, hop or jump. Having sensed the presence of a host, they either climb or fall onto it and make their way to a feeding spot. Ticks' sensitivity to carbon dioxide makes it possible to use this gas, in the form of dry ice, to trap them live.

Things You'll Need

Lidded Styrofoam cooler, at least 6 inches by 6 inches by 12 inches
Small serrated knife
Cloth, tarpaulin or flannel, about one square yard
Cooler
Heavy-duty gloves or ice tongs
2 pounds of dry ice
Tweezers or forceps
Collection container

Instructions

Instructions
- 1
  Cut four 1/2-inch to 3/4-inch holes in a Styrofoam cooler with a serrated knife, one on each side, near the base of the cooler.
- 2
  Transfer a 2-pound piece of dry ice from a transporting cooler to the Styrofoam cooler, using heavy-duty gloves or ice tongs. Place the lid on the Styrofoam cooler.
- 3
  Choose an area where you wish to trap ticks, typically near brush or woods at the edge of the yard. Center the Styrofoam cooler on one square yard of cloth, tarpaulin or flannel.
- 4
  Check the trap periodically over the next three hours. (This is how long it will typically take 2 pounds of dry ice to melt, or "sublimate.") Remove ticks that have crawled onto the cloth, tarpaulin or flannel with tweezers or forceps and place them in a collection container.

Insects & Science