Cleaning historical tick specimens using an ultrasonic cleaner

A method is described for cleaning ticks (Arachnida: Ixodida) preserved for decades in 70% ethanol using an ultrasonic cleaner. The advantages of this approach are that it is relatively inexpensive and does not involve the use of chemical reagents other than ethanol, such as when preparing ticks for scanning electron microscopy or as slide preparations. In a wider context the methods outlined here may be applicable to other relatively robust arthropods preserved in alcohol collections.