Understanding Ticks: Insights from Dr. Holly Gaff on Tick Behavior, Disease, and Protection

Ticks are one of the most significant disease vectors in the United States, and yet, most people know surprisingly little about them. Misconceptions are widespread, like the idea that ticks fall from trees, while real scientific advances in tick modeling and prevention often go unnoticed.

To separate fact from fiction, we turn to Dr. Holly Gaff, Chair and Professor of Biological Sciences at Old Dominion University. With a background that uniquely blends mathematics and biology, Dr. Gaff has dedicated her career to studying ticks, their populations, and their role in spreading disease. In a recent conversation, she shared her journey, her research, and practical advice for staying safe from ticks.

Key Takeaways

Ticks don’t fall from trees.
Chickens and guinea fowl don’t provide long-term tick control.
The TickBot shows promise for reducing backyard ticks.
Permethrin-treated clothing and gear are the most effective personal protection.
Proper tick removal with tweezers is critical; avoid matches or oils.

From Math to Tick Research: A Unique Career Path

When asked how she moved from mathematics into tick research, Dr. Gaff explained:

“Life is always a journey, right? And you always go interesting directions. I started out in math… but always had interest in other things, particularly in biology.”

Her dissertation advisor introduced her to an unusual project in the 1990s: modeling a tick-borne disease outbreak in Tennessee. At the time, few researchers were using mathematical models to understand tick populations. This set her on a path that eventually brought her to Old Dominion University, where she combined modeling with fieldwork to collect real-world tick data.

Since 2009, Dr. Gaff and her team have collected more than 350,000 ticks across Virginia. “Most of them have been tested,” she said. “We’ve watched tick populations move in from the south… and the aggressive blacklegged tick variant coming down from the north. Virginia’s a really dynamic place.”

What Is Mathematical Modeling for Ticks?

A question that often arises is: what does it mean to model ticks mathematically?

According to Dr. Gaff: “Mathematical modeling, really we’re looking at trying to use what we know about the dynamics of the system to understand it… more it’s about the understanding of it.”

For example, in the Tennessee outbreak that inspired her dissertation, researchers wondered whether tick control measures might backfire by increasing disease risk. Modeling showed that in that case, control efforts actually reduced risk.

Tick models can’t perfectly predict the future—too many factors like hurricanes, winter temperatures, and host population changes affect outcomes. But they help researchers identify which aspects of tick biology are most critical to study further, such as off-host survival or the energy cost of “questing” (when ticks actively search for a host).

Do We Really Need Ticks?

A common question from the public is whether ticks serve any ecological purpose.

“I get asked that a lot, right? Those ticks are awful. Just get rid of all of them. I’m like, it’s never a good idea to mess with mother nature,” Dr. Gaff said.

Ticks provide blood meals to other animals and can help control weak individuals in wildlife populations. While not a comforting thought for most, she explained, “Evolutionarily it’s stronger for the host species to lose the weak ones… that’s better for the deer population in general.”

Introducing the TickBot: A Backyard Defense

One of the most innovative tools Dr. Gaff has studied is the TickBot, a semi-autonomous robot designed to create “tick-safe zones.”

The TickBot drags cloths treated with permethrin, a compound that kills ticks on contact. Instead of trying to eradicate ticks entirely (which is impossible), it reduces local populations temporarily. “It’s like a Roomba,” Dr. Gaff explained. “We don’t expect there not to be dirt in the world, but we do expect our houses to be clean. And so I think it’s the same kind of approach for ticks where I don’t expect the world not to have ticks, but I can try to make my backyard clean.”

Trials have shown the TickBot can eliminate up to 99% of ticks in a treated area for 24-48 hours, ideal for events like backyard gatherings or scout camps.

Do Chickens or Guinea Fowl Control Ticks?

Many homeowners wonder whether keeping chickens or guinea fowl helps reduce ticks. Dr. Gaff’s team studied this question and found a surprising answer.

Guinea fowl did appear to reduce ticks in the short term. However, as Dr. Gaff explained, “They may be taking some of those ticks for you. But after that… you may end up either back where you were or worse, because these ticks, one female lone star can lay 5,000 eggs.”

In other words, while birds may absorb ticks initially, they also provide the blood meals ticks need to reproduce, leading to larger populations long-term.

Do Ticks Fall from Trees?

One of the most persistent myths about ticks is that they climb trees and drop onto people.

Dr. Gaff was clear: “Biologically it can’t happen.” Ticks would expend too much energy climbing trees, and the dry conditions would quickly kill them.

She sometimes demonstrates with permethrin-treated shoes: “If they do fall from trees, you’ll have the same number of ticks… If they crawl up you, like I say, then they will have far fewer because they will have crossed over that insecticide barrier and die.” Sure enough, skeptics often find far fewer ticks after testing.

The only exception she’s observed is in Africa, where ticks that feed on giraffes may climb trees. Unless you have giraffes in your backyard, ticks aren’t dropping from above.

How Should You Remove a Tick?

Another dangerous myth is that you can make a tick back out with matches, soap, or oil.

Dr. Gaff warned: “Don’t try to use a match… ticks will excrete a cement to cement themselves to your skin… there’s not much you’re gonna do to encourage them to back out.”

The proper method is simple: use fine-tipped tweezers or a tick removal tool to pull the tick straight out. If part of the mouth remains, don’t panic—it’s similar to a splinter and will work its way out.

How to Protect Yourself from Ticks

Dr. Gaff’s top recommendations include:

Stay in the middle of trails when hiking and avoid brushy edges.
Use permethrin-treated clothing and gear. As she put it: “We preach the use of permethrin treated clothing… it’s the way to go in a lot of ways, particularly for lone star ticks.”
Treat shoes, car mats, and even vehicle interiors with permethrin if you frequent tick-heavy areas.
Do tick checks after outdoor activity, shower, and use tweezers immediately if you find a tick.
Seek medical help if you feel unwell after a tick bite, since many people don’t realize they’ve been bitten.

The Future of Tick Research

Ticks are spreading into new regions, bringing diseases like Lyme, Ehrlichiosis, and Rocky Mountain spotted fever with them. Modeling and surveillance are crucial to understanding these shifts.

As Dr. Gaff summed it up: “Math is the universal everything. It’ll get you a long ways.” Her work shows that math, biology, and persistence in the field can shed light on these tiny but impactful creatures—helping us live more safely alongside them.

Understanding tick biology and behavior is essential for prevention. With researchers like Dr. Holly Gaff leading the way, we continue to learn more about how to stay safe from these dangerous parasites.