We're all being asked to become amateur entomologists.

The Province is encouraging us to submit ticks we find on ourselves or our animals to help government monitor the types of ticks found in Alberta.

Albertans can present ticks they find to an Environmental Public Health Office, a First Nations Health Centre or a physician.

Ticks found on pets or livestock should be submitted to a veterinarian.

The ticks will be checked to see if they're carrying the bacteria that can cause Lyme disease.

The government's been testing ticks found on pets and farm animals since 2007. The program expanded in 2013, in partnership with Alberta Health Services and the First Nations and Inuit Health Branch, to include ticks found on people and in the environment.

Test results show that the types of ticks that can carry the Lyme disease bacteria do not have established populations in Alberta. This means there is little risk of getting Lyme disease in Alberta.

Information on how to remove a tick and submit it to the program is available on Alberta Health’s website.

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