With a teaching and research collection of more than 150,000 determined specimens and more than 1,000,000 undetermined specimens of ticks and mites, our acarology program is world renowned and functions as an international center for research on ticks and mites.  The broad representation of specimens makes it the finest teaching collection of Acari in the world.  We identify specimens submitted by state and federal agencies, researchers and the general public.  We maintain a library of several thousand reprints.

Our faculty and guest lecturers offer a three-week summer workshop, the longest running program of its kind.  It provides advance students and practicing biologist from all over the world with the latest information on problems related to ticks and mites.

We also work with scientists in apiculture to provide sound management techniques for controlling mites that infest bee colonies.

Our acarologists use the tools of molecular biology to characterize genes associated with the secretion of tick salivary gland proteins.

The Acarology Laboratory collaborates with the Ohio Department of Health on studies of vector-borne diseases, such as Lyme Disease, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, and a variety of other arthropod-related medical topics.