New “Roomba for Ticks” Could Help Get Rid of Ticks in Your Backyard

A new piece of technology could eventually make dealing with ticks in Hudson Valley backyards a whole lot easier.

Every year, Hudson Valley residents know that once the weather warms up, we're going to have to deal with ticks. At this point, they have become a huge problem. Most of us probably have a story or two about finding a tick on ourselves, our kids, or our pets. Ticks aren't just annoying, either. They can carry and spread some pretty serious illnesses, but there's a new invention that could eventually give us another way to fight back and make our backyards a little safer.

Roomba For Ticks

Roomba For Ticks

According to the Daily Press, researchers at Old Dominion University in Virginia have developed what they're calling the “TickBot,” a remote-controlled robot that basically works like a Roomba vacuum for ticks.

The four-wheeled robot moves across grass, trails and leaf litter while dragging a cloth treated with permethrin, a chemical insecticide commonly used to protect military uniforms and boots. When ticks come into contact with the treated fabric, the chemical kills them within about 45 minutes.

And unlike spraying an entire yard with pesticides, researchers say the TickBot could offer a much more targeted approach. “The huge advantage of this is that it’s self-contained,” said Holly Gaff, who leads the ODU Tick Research Team.

The researchers have been collecting ticks across Virginia for years, gathering at least 350,000 since 2012 in an effort to better understand where ticks are found, what diseases they carry and how people can protect themselves.

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The TickBot essentially copies a common method researchers already use to find ticks. A treated white cloth is dragged across vegetation and leaves, where ticks typically wait for a host to walk by.

The goal is eventually to make the technology available for people to use around their own homes.

That could be especially interesting here in the Hudson Valley.

Close Up Of An Adult Female An Adult Male Nymph And Larva Tick Is Shown June 15 2001

Tick Problem in the Hudson Valley, NY

Ticks are already a major nuisance throughout the region, and they're more than just annoying. Blacklegged ticks can transmit Lyme disease, while other ticks can spread illnesses including anaplasmosis, babesiosis, and other tick-borne diseases. Lone star ticks have also become increasingly common in parts of New York and can be associated with alpha-gal syndrome, a condition that can cause an allergy to red meat after a tick bite.

Researchers say one important thing to remember is that ticks aren't dropping from trees onto your head. They generally live and move on the ground, waiting in grass, brush and leaf litter for something to brush against them.

That's exactly why a ground-based robot like the TickBot could make sense. For now, the technology is still being tested, but the idea is pretty simple: send a little robot around your yard and let it hunt down the ticks for you.

Honestly, if they can eventually make one of these affordable enough for homeowners, I think a lot of people in the Hudson Valley would be interested, right?