Citizen Science & Vector-Borne Disease

You can help scientists track ticks and mosquitoes across the UK!

By reporting tick encounters, mosquito sightings, or sending in samples, you can contribute directly to our understanding of where vectors live and how their range may be changing with our climate.

People taking part in citizen science fieldwork

Citizen science image by Science X (via Phys.org CDN).

What Is Citizen Science?

Citizen science means members of the public collaborate with researchers, often by collecting data and making observations. For vector-borne diseases, this is especially valuable; professional monitoring can only cover limited areas. That's why your tick and mosquito sightings from gardens, parks, and footpaths help fill critical gaps!

As the VBD Hub puts it: “Citizen science can deepen public awareness, demystify disease risk, and build a stronger bridge between science and society.” Studies confirm it produces data comparable in quality to traditional methods, at lower cost.

Send a Tick to UKHSA

The Tick Surveillance Scheme (est. 2005) is a government project to map tick distribution across the UK. Anyone can take part, if you’ve found a tick on yourself, a pet, or a wild animal, your sample is welcome!

How it works

  1. Place the tick in a small, sealed plastic container. (Request vials: tick@ukhsa.gov.uk)
  2. Keep it cool (fridge or dark place) and post it promptly.
  3. Fill in the online recording form.
  4. Post the form and tick in a padded envelope. Live ticks: send 1st class, marked “URGENT — LIVING CREATURES”.
  5. Send to:
    Tick Surveillance Scheme · UKHSA
    Porton Down, Salisbury, Wiltshire SP4 0JG

Identification results arrive by email within ~2 weeks. Postage is roughly £3–£4 (Royal Mail 1st class).

Note: UKHSA does not test ticks for pathogens (e.g. Lyme disease). If you’re concerned about a bite, see your GP.

Go to the Tick Surveillance Scheme →

Report a Mosquito Sighting

Mosquito reporting helps scientists spot unusual species and track where different mosquitoes are turning up in the UK. If you have seen a mosquito of concern, start with the GOV.UK reporting guidance. If you have collected one, you can also send it in as a specimen.

How it works

  1. Note where and when you saw it, and take a clear photo if you can.
  2. Use the GOV.UK guidance on how to report mosquitoes and complete the online form.
  3. If you have collected the mosquito, freeze it for 10 minutes to kill it.
  4. Place it in a crush-proof plastic container, or a small labelled tube if the scheme asks for one, and include your reference number from the form.
  5. Send specimens as soon as possible to UKHSA’s Mosquito Recording Scheme in Salisbury, or email mosquito@ukhsa.gov.uk to request supplies or ask for postal details.
  6. If you are in Scotland, you can also check Mosquito Scotland for local reporting and project information.

Send to:
Mosquito Recording Scheme · Medical Entomology and Zoonoses Ecology
UK Health Security Agency
Porton Down, Salisbury SP4 0JG

Tip: A good photo and location are often enough to start a record, but if you already have the mosquito, the scheme can identify mailed specimens too.

Report a mosquito through GOV.UK →

Other Vector Research Projects to Explore

OPTICK Project

Studies how land use, farming, and climate affect tick populations and tick-borne diseases. Farmers and vets can contribute via online surveys.

Learn more (UKCEH)

Mosquito Scotland

University of Glasgow, UKCEH & UKHSA mapping mosquito species across Scotland. This is a Scotland-focused project, while UK-wide reporting can also go through GOV.UK guidance and broader recording platforms.

mosquito-scotland.com

UKHSA Tick Dashboard

Explore live data from the Tick Surveillance Scheme — seasonal trends, regional maps, and submission statistics updated quarterly.

View the dashboard

Biological Recording: How Your Observations Reach Scientists

Beyond dedicated schemes, there is a whole world of biological recording — the practice of documenting what species you see, where, and when. In the UK, this tradition goes back centuries, and today it feeds directly into the databases that scientists (and this website!) rely on.

How the data flows

You log an observation (e.g. a tick on iNaturalist) → It gets verified by the community & experts → Verified records flow to GBIF (the Global Biodiversity Information Facility) → Researchers, public health agencies, and tools like the That Bites! project use the data.

The species data shown on our Vector Maps page comes from GBIF — which means your observations can end up here.

iNaturalist

A free app and website where you can photograph any living thing and get help identifying it. “Research grade” observations are automatically shared with GBIF. Currently, very few UK users log ticks — this is a critical area we could use your help with.

inaturalist.org · UK portal

iRecord

The UK’s main online system for submitting wildlife records. Run by the Biological Records Centre (BRC) at UKCEH, records are verified by national recording schemes and shared with GBIF and the NBN Atlas.

irecord.org.uk

Biological Records Centre

The BRC has coordinated UK biological recording since 1964, working with volunteer recording schemes and societies to build long-term species datasets.

brc.ac.uk

GBIF

The Global Biodiversity Information Facility aggregates occurrence records from iNaturalist, iRecord, museum collections, and more — over 2 billion records worldwide. It’s the primary data source for the species maps on this site.

gbif.org

NBN Atlas

The UK’s largest collection of biodiversity data, aggregating records from local and national recording schemes. Explore species maps and download datasets.

nbnatlas.org

Getting involved is easy: download iNaturalist on your phone, or create an account on iRecord. Next time you find a tick or mosquito, photograph it and log it. Your record will be verified and eventually reach GBIF — contributing to research and real-time tools like this one.

Citizen Science for Vectors: News & Resources

Recent research, articles, and videos about citizen science and vector-borne diseases for vector ecology nerds like us.

References & Further Reading