After removing a tick, place it in a sealed plastic bag or small container and store it in the refrigerator until you can send it to a lab. A tick does not need to be alive to be tested for Lyme disease and other pathogens, but how you store it affects how long the specimen remains viable and which tests the lab can run.
Why Preservation Method Matters
Labs use different techniques depending on whether a tick arrives alive or dead. Live ticks can be tested using antibody-based methods that detect pathogens directly. Dead ticks are tested using PCR, a DNA-based method that picks up genetic material from disease-causing organisms even after the tick has died. PCR is the standard at most commercial and university labs, so keeping the tick alive isn’t strictly necessary. But proper storage keeps the DNA intact and gives the lab the best chance of returning an accurate result.
Knowing the tick species is just as important as preserving it well. Different species carry different diseases: deer ticks (black-legged ticks) transmit Lyme disease, while dog ticks and lone star ticks carry other pathogens. Species identification helps your doctor decide whether preventive antibiotics are warranted. If you can, take a clear photo of the tick before sealing it up. Many university extension programs and online identification tools can confirm the species from a photograph within 24 hours.
Step-by-Step Preservation
Once the tick is off your skin, place it in a sealable plastic bag. Double-bag it by putting that bag inside a second one. If you have a small screw-cap vial, that works too. A damp piece of cotton or tissue inside the bag helps keep a live tick from drying out, which is useful if you want to preserve the option for antibody-based testing.
Label the bag with three pieces of information: the date of the bite, where on your body the tick was attached, and the geographic location where you were likely bitten (a trail name, park, or town). Labs need this data, and you’ll forget the details faster than you think.
Short-Term vs. Long-Term Storage
How you store the tick depends on how quickly you plan to send it off.
- A few days to two weeks: A sealed double bag at room temperature is fine. Keep it away from heat and direct sunlight. Don’t leave it in your car in summer.
- One to three months: Refrigerate the double-bagged tick. The cold slows degradation of the pathogen DNA.
- More than two months: Move the tick to the freezer in the same double-bagged setup.
- One to two years: Place the tick in a small sealed container filled with 70% rubbing alcohol (available at any pharmacy) and refrigerate it. This is the gold standard for long-term preservation.
If the tick was torn apart during removal, skip room-temperature storage entirely and go straight to cold storage in the refrigerator or freezer. Damaged specimens degrade faster.
What to Avoid
Burning a tick can destroy the genetic material labs need for testing. Bleach, acetone, and other harsh chemicals can also interfere with PCR results. Common household substances like rubbing alcohol, cooking oil, or petroleum jelly typically don’t ruin a specimen, but let the lab know what was used so they can adjust their process.
One important note: some state health departments specifically ask that you do not preserve ticks in alcohol, formalin, or saline before submission. The Texas Department of State Health Services, for example, requires dry specimens in a sealed container or bag. Check the submission guidelines of the specific lab you plan to use before adding any liquid to your container.
Sending the Tick to a Lab
Most university and commercial labs accept tick specimens by mail. Package the sealed bag or vial inside a small padded envelope or box. Include a completed submission form if the lab provides one, or write a note with the bite date, body location, geographic area, and any chemicals used on the tick. Some labs also ask for a photo.
Labs affiliated with state health departments sometimes restrict testing to residents of that state and may only test ticks submitted through a healthcare provider. Commercial and university labs are generally open to anyone willing to pay.
Cost and Turnaround Time
Testing costs vary based on what you’re screening for. A Lyme-only test typically runs around $50 to $60. Comprehensive panels that screen for multiple pathogens (anaplasmosis, babesiosis, ehrlichiosis, and others depending on the tick species) range from about $80 to $130. Most labs also charge a small processing fee on top of the test price. Simple species identification without disease testing costs around $15 to $20.
Standard results come back in 3 to 5 business days. Rush service, where available, cuts that to about 2 business days for an additional fee of roughly $25. Species identification alone is usually returned in 1 to 2 days. If you’re concerned about a tick-borne illness and your doctor is weighing whether to prescribe preventive antibiotics, let them know the timeline so they can decide whether to treat empirically or wait for results.