Skip to main content

Cookies on UKHSA data dashboard

We use some essential cookies to make this service work.

We'd like to set additional cookies so we can remember your settings, understand how people use the service and make improvements.

View cookies
UKHSA data dashboard

BetaThis is a new service - your feedback will help us to improve it.

Entry title:

Ticks (Ixodes ricinus)

Last updated on Thursday, 10 April 2025 at 04:00pm

Globally, ticks are one of the most significant disease vectors. A vector is a living organism, such as ticks or mosquitoes, that can transmit infections between animal or human hosts.

Ticks can pick up pathogens while feeding on an infected animal host and subsequently transmit them to hosts they may feed on. In the UK, the most important tick species to human health is Ixodes ricinus (sheep or deer tick). This species can be found feeding on humans and is a vector of Lyme disease and other tick-borne infections.

The Tick Surveillance Scheme (TSS) was set up in 2005 to map and monitor tick distribution across the UK. Data collected from the TSS informs UKHSA’s assessments of the public health impact of ticks.

Tick samples sent to UKHSA provide valuable information on the distribution of tick species present across the UK, their seasonal activity and their host associations. This information helps to highlight which tick species are important to human and animal health.

These metrics are updated quarterly. The next update will be in May 2025.

Overview

Records received annually

The total annual records of Ixodes ricinus ticks submitted to the Tick Surveillance Scheme per year. Data is shown by the year the tick was collected and shown as at December of each year. For example, the figures for 2022 are shown as at “Dec 2022”.

Up to and including 31 Dec 2024

ChartThere is only 1 plot on this chart. The horizontal X-axis is labelled 'date'. Whilst the vertical Y-axis is labelled 'metric'. This is a dark blue solid bar plot. This plot shows data for ticks. Specifically the metric 'ticks_counts_countByYear' for the England area, along with the age banding of 'all' for the gender group of all. This plot shows data from 31 December 2013 to 31 December 2024. It fell from 422.0 on 31 December 2013 to 284.0 on 31 December 2014. It rose from 405.0 on 31 December 2015 to 572.0 on 31 December 2016. It rose from 411.0 on 31 December 2017 to 549.0 on 31 December 2018. It fell from 545.0 on 31 December 2019 to 505.0 on 31 December 2020. It fell from 558.0 on 31 December 2021 to 360.0 on 31 December 2022. And finally. It rose from 504.0 on 31 December 2023 to 535.0 on 31 December 2024. There is no reporting delay period being tracked for the data on this chart. - Refer to tabular data.
Tabular data

Records received annually data for the total annual records of Ixodes ricinus ticks submitted to the Tick Surveillance Scheme per year. Data is shown by the year the tick was collected and shown as at December of each year. For example, the figures for 2022 are shown as at “Dec 2022”.

Up to and including 31 December 2024

YearTick records
31 Dec 2024535
31 Dec 2023504
31 Dec 2022360
31 Dec 2021558
31 Dec 2020505
31 Dec 2019545
31 Dec 2018549
31 Dec 2017411
31 Dec 2016572
31 Dec 2015405
31 Dec 2014284
31 Dec 2013422
Download

Download data

Select format

Seasonality

Monthly records versus mean trend

The total monthly records of Ixodes ricinus ticks submitted to the Tick Surveillance Scheme for the current period in comparison to the mean monthly average from the previous 10 years. Data is shown by the month the tick was collected.

Up to and including month commencing 1 Dec 2024

ChartThere are 2 plots on this chart. The horizontal X-axis is labelled 'date'. Whilst the vertical Y-axis is labelled 'metric'. This is plot number 1 on this chart. This is a dark blue solid line plot. The plot has a label of 'Monthly total records count'. This plot shows data for ticks. Specifically the metric 'ticks_counts_countByMonth' for the England area, along with the age banding of 'all' for the gender group of all. This plot shows data from 01 January 2024 to 01 December 2024. It rose from 1.0 on 01 January 2024 to 6.0 on 01 February 2024. It rose from 25.0 on 01 March 2024 to 37.0 on 01 April 2024. It fell from 154.0 on 01 May 2024 to 138.0 on 01 June 2024. It fell from 75.0 on 01 July 2024 to 40.0 on 01 August 2024. It fell from 24.0 on 01 September 2024 to 19.0 on 01 October 2024. And finally. It fell from 13.0 on 01 November 2024 to 3.0 on 01 December 2024. This is plot number 2 on this chart. This is a turquoise solid line plot. The plot has a label of 'Monthly average records count'. This plot shows data for ticks. Specifically the metric 'ticks_counts_averageByMonth' for the England area, along with the age banding of 'all' for the gender group of all. This plot shows data from 01 January 2024 to 01 December 2024. It rose from 2.27 on 01 January 2024 to 3.91 on 01 February 2024. It rose from 10.73 on 01 March 2024 to 40.82 on 01 April 2024. It rose from 91.82 on 01 May 2024 to 136.36 on 01 June 2024. It fell from 83.36 on 01 July 2024 to 38.36 on 01 August 2024. It fell from 28.0 on 01 September 2024 to 19.91 on 01 October 2024. And finally. It fell from 7.36 on 01 November 2024 to 2.09 on 01 December 2024. There is no reporting delay period being tracked for the data on this chart. - Refer to tabular data.
Tabular data

Monthly records versus mean trend data for the total monthly records of Ixodes ricinus ticks submitted to the Tick Surveillance Scheme for the current period in comparison to the mean monthly average from the previous 10 years. Data is shown by the month the tick was collected.

Up to and including 1 December 2024

MonthMonthly total records countMonthly average records count
1 Dec 202432.09
1 Nov 2024137.36
1 Oct 20241919.91
1 Sep 20242428
1 Aug 20244038.36
1 Jul 20247583.36
1 Jun 2024138136.36
1 May 202415491.82
1 Apr 20243740.82
1 Mar 20242510.73
1 Feb 202463.91
1 Jan 202412.27
Download

Download data

Select format

Related content

Learn more about UKHSA data dashboard topics

  • Tick Surveillance Scheme (report a tick) - GOV.UK

    UKHSA’s Tick Surveillance Scheme helps to map and monitor tick distribution and associated risk of exposure to ticks in the UK.

  • Ticks - GOV.UK

    This collection contains information about ticks and what UKHSA’s Medical Entomology and Zoonoses Ecology team does to monitor ticks and pathogens associated with tick-borne illnesses in the UK.

Back to top