U.S. National Tick Collection
The U.S. National Tick Collection is an integral part of the IAP. It is the largest tick collection in the world with more than a million specimens including representatives of most of the world's ca. 850 species.
The collection remains the property of the Smithsonian Institution but in 1990, the entire collection, its curator, assistant curator, and associated literature files, were moved to Georgia Southern on a "long-term enhancement loan" initially funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. The collection is a national treasure that allows tick identifications and related research to be carried out on a worldwide basis. This vital function allows ticks that are medically important or that parasitize livestock or pets (including those that transmit pathogens such as the agents that cause Lyme disease or Rocky Mountain spotted fever) to be distinguished from species having less economic importance.
Short tours of the collection can be arranged on Wednesdays between 1:30 and 2:30 p.m.