The European Space Agency (ESA) has given financial backing to a Scottish project to test a new app mapping tick hotspots.
Blood-sucking ticks have been linked to a rise in Lyme disease in humans in the past 10 years, according to NHS Highland.
Untreated tick bites can result in neurological problems and joint pain months or years later.
ESA has awarded the mapping effort a grant of almost £180,000.
NHS Highland, the University of the Highlands and Islands and Scotland's Rural College are involved in the project which will test the new LymeMap app.
People out walking or cycling will be encouraged to use the app to upload information about where they find ticks.
Using GPS technology, the application will also gather details such as the height, temperature and vegetation cover of the location where a person uploads their information.
A one-year study will test the technical and commercial feasibility of LymeMap.
